


Zuko of the Sun Warriors

by aistifcisi



Series: Dancing Dragon [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Air Nomad Genocide (Avatar), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Azula... doesn't have a happy childhood, Ball Lightning, But he learns, Canonical Character Death, Confident Zuko, Gen, Genocide, Ham Ghao is done with the Fire Nation, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Jeong Jeong should really see the masters Ran and Shaw, Jeong Jeong's Issues Have Issues, Koh is a creep, Kyoshi Island, No Romance, No shipping, Northern Air Temple, Northern Water Tribe, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Pakku is an Asshole, Pohuai Stronghold, Powerful Zuko, Sandbending and Sandbenders, Sun Warrior Zuko, Sun Warriors Adopt Zuko, The Air Walkers, The Sunstone, The masters Ran and Shaw are enablers, Toph Beifong and Zuko are Siblings, Traumatized Ursa, Very Mild Inspiration from Aztec Culture and History, Wan Shi Tong's Library, What else is new, Winter Solstice, Zuko has a happy childhood, Zuko's Crew is technically not Zuko's Crew, attempted infanticide, even more so than in canon, i will die on this hill, scarless zuko, sorry :(, that should be a tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:08:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 62,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25262872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aistifcisi/pseuds/aistifcisi
Summary: The masters Ran and Shaw were out of balance. When Shaw flew, Ran followed, not from behind, but rather from beside. They were imbalanced and something was wrong. The drake wasn't supposed to be in danger, but he was. He was in great danger and the masters could not stand by to let it come to be. Their warriors were hiding from the winter night's cold and Tui had taken her leave. The drake was coming and they wouldn't let him down.They had long ago claimed him as one of their warriors and they would protect him.
Relationships: Aang & Jeong Jeong (Avatar), Aang & Katara (Avatar), Aang & Pakku, Aang & Sokka (Avatar), Aang & Teo, Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Azula & Ozai (Avatar), Azula & Ursa (Avatar), Druk & Ran and Shaw, Druk & Zuko (Avatar), Ham Ghao & Ran and Shaw, Ham Ghao & Zuko, Iroh & Piandao (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Jee & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Pakku (Avatar), Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Katara & Yue (Avatar), Ran & Shaw, Sokka & Suki (Avatar), Sokka & Yue, Sun Warriors & Zuko, Toph Beifong & Zuko, Ursa & Zuko (Avatar), Zuko & Guru Pathik, Zuko & Original Characters, Zuko & Ran and Shaw
Series: Dancing Dragon [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879492
Comments: 349
Kudos: 907
Collections: A:tla, ATLA faves, AtLA <100k fics to read, Fantastic A:TLA Fanfics!, The Best of Zuko





	1. An Order

Ham Ghao had an order.

It was a moonless night of Tititl, a time of frost and darkness, of perseverance and growth. Winter was a fickle period for the people of the sun, when it seemed as if Agni himself had abondened them, with the only reminder of his blessing being their own burning hearts. At times when Tui would renew herself during winter it was all Agni’s warriors could do to preserve their lives’ spark. These were dangerous nights, when humans were truly alone, with neither the Moon’s light to guide nor the Sun’s heat to protect.

It was on such a night that Ham Ghao climbed.

It was unheard of, for any warrior to be asked for by the great masters during such a time, when people should be hiding away from the ruthless and spiritless night, with family, friends, their community; for their survival was never guaranteed. Yet, here Ham Ghao was, away. Away from his fellow warriors, facing the terrifying darkness, but not alone. No one ever was alone when on the altar of the masters.

Ran flew up straight and Shaw followed with a spiral around its partner. They weren’t mimicking each other. Something was _wrong_. Something was disturbing the masters and they had called upon Ham Ghao to soothe them. 

His back was straight, to show respect, but he sat down comfortably on his knees, to show trust and the willingness to help. He was approached and did not back down, did not pull away, did not hesitate. He stood still as a whisker of Shaw moved to make contact and Ran observed to ensure its partner’s safety. His deep respect for his masters was the only thing that kept Ham Ghao from scoffing. He would die in complete dishonor and shame before he even considered betraying the dragons. The masters must know this, they _must_... But, then again, dragons were nothing if not protective.

Ham Ghao’s musings were cut short by the visions... _Red_. Red, red, _so much_ red. Red on the walls, on the floors, the ceiling. The curtains of the room, the clothes of the midwives, the sheets wherein a person was _screaming their head off_ , all in red. The elders in red, conversing in the corner, their hands red, from their betrayal, no, their treachery, from blood that they allowed to spill: the sages. The Fire Lady. The palace? No. A mansion, on an island. A red island with a sky haunted by thousands and a sea of corpses and it was all red. Why? _How?_ It should be dark and the heavens should be black and La should be calm, so why, why was it red, red, _red_ -

Then, it was all over and Ham Ghao was reeling, gasping, searching for the breath that had escaped him. Shaw had retreated and Ran was right beside him, patient and waiting. For Ham Ghao... No. _No!_ Ham Ghao could not, he would not! This, it would be dishonor, shame, treason. It would be stabbing his people behind their back, destroying their secrecy and damning them to _burn_ in the Fire Nation’s fury. He couldn’t do it. Ham Ghao could not do it!... but...

These were the masters, Ran and Shaw. They were wise beings, practically spirits in physical form. If they decreed that the safety of the ziggurat must be left... well, who was Ham Ghao to question them? Ham Ghao had an order and he would not fail his masters. He got on Ran, trusting his inner flame to warm him, trusting the dark skies to camouflage his blue master, _trusting_ Ran itself to keep him, his people, its own warriors safe from the blaze of the ones who had cursed fire’s true meaning.

It was then, as he was flying through Agni and Tui’s home on his master’s back, that Ham Ghao was allowed to examine the visions. Midwives, screaming, labour, _a spirits blessed baby!_ A child of Agni in the most grueling of times, a night when Tui wasn’t present and La was subdued. There had been few recorded births during a new moon of winter, none of them in Ham Ghao’s lifetime. These children of Agni were not blessed, for they did not need it. A child who did not demand a heavenly body during their birth was a child of pure life. There were stories amongst the warriors, passed down from their first ever generation, that claimed such people could summon the fires belonging to dragons, belonging to _his masters_ , if only they were allowed to thrive. 

If a child of such inner flame was to be born to the Fire Nation Royal Family... spirits of balance have mercy on them all. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

She was tired. Her bones were aching, her back screaming, voice hoarse. Ursa wanted to pass out and the only thing keeping her awake was her determination and the chanting of the midwives to “Push. Push! _Push!_ ” and she did, she really did, but oh Agni it hurt and she couldn’t do it, she couldn’t, she couldn-

It was over. Just like that. It was over and a baby was screaming, their high-pitched voice filling her ears. Her child, her baby, they were here! They were crying and screeching and _alive_. Her baby was alive and they were here. The midwives were cleaning them and the sages were praying and she was happy. The Fire Princess was happy for the first time since being ripped away from her family, since Ozai, since _Ikem_ -

And then a midwife with a kind face and a sharp nose was handing her a bundle and Ursa saw. They were perfect and Ursa loved them. She loved them with all of her being. The sharp nosed midwife spoke then; "The sages say the spirits confirm him male." Ursa looks down at her _son_ , at his dark hair and red face and scrunched up eyes. He is perfect and she kisses his forehead in order to imprint the indescribable affection she feels for him.

“Zuko,” she whispers. He will be Zuko, after the father who loved her, who trained her, who could do nothing but watch as she was taken away. For a moment Ursa of Hira’a is finally happy.

But the moment doesn’t last. It never does (for he would never let it). Fire Prince Ozai comes through the double doors an hour after his son’s birth. Ursa doesn’t want to give her baby to him. Ursa doesn’t trust him. Ursa will not trust him, not with her Zuko. But since when did she ever have a choice. He rips her baby from her arms and she can do nothing but pale as his stoic face morphs into disgust.

“He does not have the spark,” is all he says before he starts walking. Walking towards... _no_. No, no, no, no, he can’t, not her Zuko, please, please, please, no! She is screaming through cracked lips, begging and completely unaware of the words coming out of her mouths. He can’t do this. Not to her baby. _Please._

The sages are arguing too, one in particular extremely passionately, but he does not waver. And her baby plummets and something within her _breaks_.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Ham Ghao’s ears were ringing, though from the wiping of the air around him or from the Fire Princess’ screams of absolute _agony_ , he couldn’t tell. He was in shock. Ham Ghao was in a shock that obscured any sort of coherent thought that his sleep deprived brain could have possibly come up with. But, as the haze cleared, he realized that maybe he really shouldn’t be. After all, this was the nation that had attacked, the nation that had tried so hard to ruin fire, that had destroyed the Nomads, the spiritual siblings of the Sun Warriors. He really shouldn’t be surprised that their prince would _try to kill his own_. And all for what? Because he was ignorant of the way of the spirits, believing a babe of drake fire to be weak. _‘As if non-benders were weak!’_ Ham Ghao thought, getting all the more angry on behalf of his fellow warriors who lacked the inner flame.

He could still hear them, even as he and his master were racing Agni’s rays to safely reach the ziggurat in time, the drake babe all too peacefully sleeping in his arms and not his mother’s. The Fire Prince’s cold conviction, as he called the tiny drake _“ a disgrace, a non-bender, lacking”_. The frantic pleading of the treasonous Fire Sages, assuring that _“The boy does have the spark!”_ The monster in human flesh _audibly sneering_ (how he had even managed to do something like that would forever remain a mystery to Ham Ghao), blaspheming against all spirits, claiming the drake would be weak without Agni to guide. The Fire Princess, no, the mother, screaming all that time, for her child, for his life to be spared... and then her suffocating silence as the babe was thrown over the balcony and into the unforgiving waters of La, louder than any sound that mortals could hear. He could hear them very clearly, and he could hear her, most of all.

_“NOT MY BABY, NOT MY ZUKO! PLEASE!”_

_Zuko_. It was painfully Fire Nation and absolutely not fitting for a babe that had been cast away, that was now a Warrior of Agni (for Ham Ghao refused to let the drake go, not now). But he could not forget that name. Never again would his nightmares be free from the screams, from the torture of a mother who had, for all she knew, watched her baby’s death. She was his mother, but the Fire Prince was not his father. He had given up the right to the babe. It was obvious that she had named him, and the name must have meant something. It was the wish of his mother for the child to be Zuko and Ham Ghao would not go against it. 

He would be Zuko of the Sun Warriors.

His master Ran was able to reach their haven in time, winter being their helper, holding onto Agni’s light for longer so that they could remain hidden in the skies. They reached the altar in time and when Ham Ghao got off of his master with the precious bundle safe in his hold, Ran and Shaw continued their cycle in perfect balance once more. Ham Ghao had followed his order and the babe was safe. The masters were appeased, soothed. 

It was with the knowledge of his success that Ham Ghao walked back down to where the Eternal Flame laid, forever burning. Apparently the other warriors had waited out for him, as they were there when he arrived with Zuko. He briefly wondered how long they had been here, and quickly realized they had been waiting since he had left his tent. He smiled then, because these people were family and they would be there to take care of their newest member with the utmost of love. They would allow him to thrive. He felt an unexpected shame poke its ugly head out, then. _‘How could I have ever assumed the babe would be treated well? How could I have ever feared him?’_ His thoughts were interrupted by his chief. 

“Ham Ghao! What is the meaning of this?”

Ham Ghao would have flinched at Chief Tizoc’s raised voice, if it were not for the fact that his fear was practically coming off him in waves. All of his fellow warriors were just as scared, he realized. He didn’t feel guilt anymore. He stood his ground. “I have come back from my mission with our masters victorious. This baby is Zuko, born to the new moon of winter. He is our newest warrior.”

“Your mission _with_ our masters?” Warrior Atzi asked in alarm. “Ham Ghao, that child is clearly Fire Nation,” she continued. She had frozen, they all had, when he had said that Zuko had just been born. Whether this was out of fear of Zuko or fear for Zuko, he couldn’t tell. 

“He is not,” he stated, as it was fact. “Not anymore. He was abandoned by a monster who would call himself the father, taken from his mother by force. The original teachings of the spirits must not be taught to even the Fire Prince anymore, because he saw his own newborn as weak. The child was given up to La to die.” Now, they were all angry and Ham Ghao knew they would be convinced. “Our masters Ran and Shaw must have known this would happen. They summoned me and they ordered me. I joined master Ran in their mission and darkness was our protector. We saved the child and came back before Agni rose in the sky. Named by his mother, Zuko has been accepted by our masters. We must accept him, too.”

It was quiet for a while, before Chief Tizoc stepped forward and toward Ham Ghao. “Let me see the child, Warrior Ham Ghao.” Ham Ghao let him, giving Zuko to the chief’s open arms. Zuko woke up and opened his eyes. They were _gold_ , just like a dragon’s, just like Ran and Shaw’s. He cooed up at Chief Tizoc then, and the Sun Warriors took that as a sign. 

On the moonless night of winter Warrior Zuko, son of Chief Tizoc was born.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My obsession with italics continues. BTW if y'all want an expansion on that whole "spirits of balance" and "first ever generation of Sun Warriors" thing you can check out my other fic "Balancing Act" (it's literally the only other fic I have uploaded thus far ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯)
> 
> On a side note "Tititl" is the 17th of the 18 periods of Xiuhpōhualli, the 365 day Aztec calendar. Tititl is between Dec 19 - Jan 7 according to Sahagún time.


	2. A Sneaky Drake

Zuko was not what Tizoc had expected from a child at all. Granted, it had been countless centuries since a warrior had been born to a new moon of winter. None of the warriors knew what to expect. It was just that Tizoc hadn’t anticipated the child being so... suicidal? Yes, that was the right word! _Suicidal._ Zuko was fast on his feet and slippery and very, very much suicidal.

Tozi, the designated Nana of the warriors, had been the first to lose him while she was attending to one of the other children. He had been found crawling at the edge of a shallow stream, not a hair on his head out of its place. Tozi had been reprimanded, but the others’ ire had been short lived, for not a fortnight later Tizoc himself had lost sight of him and this time he had been found near a cliff, playing with a tiny horde of fire ferret pups, their mother watching over all the babes (including Zuko, obviously). After that particular incident, it had become the norm for the boy to inexplicably go missing. The most memorable incident was when Ham Ghao had been looking after him, for he had quickly become a sort of uncle figure to the boy, simply entertaining the toddler by hiding his face behind his hands. It had been going well, both man and child enjoying themselves, until Ham Ghao hid and then revealed himself again and Zuko was not there anymore. He had been found on the tallest branch of the tallest tree, completely unharmed. Nobody could explain, well, _that_ , so they hadn’t even bothered.

In all honesty, as terrifying as the incidents were every single time they would happen, Tizoc couldn’t lie to himself and say he wasn’t impressed. The boy had a knack for being a complete sneak. Tizoc could imagine him as a young man, a grown warrior, sneaking into the most well guarded strongholds of the Fire Nation and making it out completely, or mostly, unharmed. Because, simply put, Zuko would not only be skilled enough, but also absolutely stupid enough to try something like that. Tizoc didn’t know what to feel about that. Probably something between pride and exasperation.

He was a fast learner too, beginning to clumsily walk much earlier than the other children, though he was much younger than all of them. He couldn’t rely on crawling for his weekly escapes for forever, after all. His toddles had quickly become steady steps and then, before anyone could even blink, he was full on sprinting. Tizoc couldn’t tell if that was for better or worse, because with Zuko gaining his balance, his safety during the adventure of the day was much more ensured, but he was also much harder to simply _find_. Well, considering the Tree Incident, Tizoc supposed his son would be fine. Maybe.

Something that Tizoc and his warriors were certain of, however, was that Zuko generally wasn’t a very sociable child. While he had begun to run before the other children could reliably walk, he hadn’t uttered a single word yet by the time the others were forming, mostly grammatically incorrect but still sensible, sentences. This hadn’t been much of a problem at all, however, for Zuko’s facial expressions combined with his body language had been perfectly understandable on their own. He would be a terrible liar for certain, but, then again, Tizoc supposed it would be rather illogical for a person born as pure life to be expected to lie. He would still have to teach his son of white lies and obstructions of truth, though, for in this cruel world, he would need the skills. Even still, everyone had been quite ecstatic when the little drake had said his first word and Tizoc himself had locked the memory away in his heart as the best moment of his life.

 _“Papa!”_ he had said.

After his first word, the rest came easily to his son. Speaking did, at least. Social interactions? Unfortunately, not so much. Zuko, for the most part, didn’t seem to be aware of proper conversation flow, and while this would be expected from any child, Zuko seemed to be a special case, as even the other children took notice (like that one time he was playing Earth, Water, Fire, Air with a friend and didn’t seem to realize he was suppose to choose an element at _the same time as the other_ ). It was okay, though, because as awkward as he was, it wasn’t at all debilitating, and, in a way, it was even kind of endearing. It would be explained to the other children that sometimes, some people were just less social than others and they would understand. It was fine.

 _‘Famous last words,’_ Tizoc thought bitterly. It was the summer solstice and the Dancing Dragon had been performed so that the sunstone could be taken out for the appropriate rituals. The problem was that the sunstone was gone. It was gone and the slime trap hadn’t even been activated. There was only one person who was sneaky enough, smart enough, _stupid enough_ to be able to pull off a stunt like that. And that was how Tizoc had ended up frantically searching for his idiotic genius of a son, _during the summer solstice_.

It had been a shock to everyone, even himself, to find Zuko on the altar, just after Agni had set on the horizon. He wasn’t alone, of course. Nobody ever would be when on the altar of the masters.

Ran and Shaw were performing their continuous dance while Zuko was sat in front of them, the sunstone sitting comfortably on his lap, his legs criss crossed to form the lotus flower. But this spectacle before him could only mean one thing: Zuko had done what he had done with the explicit permission of the masters. Perhaps, he had even done it on their order. If this were the case, and it seemed likely that it was, then Zuko could have simply asked for the sunstone. But he hadn’t done that. Instead, he had somehow sneaked into the sacred room of the sunstone and stolen the ancient rock with nobody taking notice... Ran and Shaw, the great firebending masters of the Sun Warriors, were a couple of _spirits cursed enablers_. Oh Agni, give him patience.

He walked toward his son then, sitting next to him to form his own lotus, the rest of his warriors watching father, son and the masters keenly. “You nearly gave me a heart attack, Zuko.” Said boy’s head snapped to face him.

“Huh?”

“You scared me. A lot. When we performed the dance for the summer solstice we found the sunstone missing. And then we couldn’t find _you_. You scared everyone,” Tizoc explained with care, for Zuko was only six (and also had been ordered by _their masters_ ). Zuko, predictably, looked lost. 

“Ran told me where the room was and Shaw said I could pass through those tunnel... thingies,” Zuko spoke, like it was obvious. 

_‘Our masters are enablers!’_ Tizoc thought as he asked “’Thingies?’” 

“Thingies,” his son replied.

“Do you mean, perhaps, the vents?” His son stared off blankly for a while, before nodding. It truly was impressive.

“And what did our masters want the sunstone for?” Tizoc asked, both to his son and to the dragons in question. 

"They wanted to see Druk!” his son replied, the innocent joy only children could have flavoring his words. 

“Who is Druk?” he questioned (for it was obvious that it was a who and not a what). 

His son picked up the stone still firm on his lap and he responded “Druk!” Tizoc blinked, and then blinked again. Sure, his son had seemed to be developing a habit of making speeches to (mostly) inanimate objects, but Tizoc had always assumed it was to sate nerves that would show up at the prospect of having to talk to actual people. This was different, for it concerned their masters. This was important, for it marked _change_. What kind of change Tizoc couldn’t possibly predict, but he understood that it would come well enough. 

He wished for it to be specified, so he asked as such: “And what is Druk?” 

”They say he’s like me!” Zuko answered with a beam, pointing to their masters with a finger. Tizoc would have lectured him on manners, if not for the situation they were in. _‘What is Zuko, to the masters?’_ Tizoc questioned himself. _‘A drake.’_ A drake. No... impossible.

Tizoc looked back to the sunstone now, noting its shape as much longer, rather than wider, with its top being narrower to the rest of it; a perfect shape, too perfect to belong to that of a stone. Then his gaze turned to the masters Ran and Shaw, and he saw it in their eyes, saw protectiveness and affection, their golden orbs holding the reflection of his son in them... his son and the sunstone.

There was a silent ignorance amongst the warriors, one that would never be brought up by any of them, but could still be understood from their voices, their movements, the dances that were not as sure as they truly could be. They would not tell each other, but they knew that they all questioned. This was the ignorance of the solstices, for when they would bring the sunstone out for their rituals, they did not know. They did not know why they would do what they did. They would not know why it was the sunstone. They would all question then, if this artifact they considered a rock was at all important. They would never say it, for it would be inappropriate, but they would _think_ it. The sunstone was a mystery unto itself. Its origin, its purpose, its use, its value; these would all contribute to their doubts, for they were all ignorant. They had been, at least, because Tizoc knew now. He _knew_.

The sunstone was a hope that balance could, truly, be restored. When the war against the dragons was waged it had been an unfathomable betrayal, killing away all the original masters except for the two spirits amongst the mortals, Ran and Shaw. The Sun Warriors had declared them extinct, along with the rest of humanity, thinking them as dead to the world as their spiritual siblings of the airs. But now, there was the sunstone and it was no stone at all.

It was an egg and his name had been given to him by the masters: Druk.

They celebrated for twenty days and twenty nights, dancing in Agni’s warmth and praying under Tui’s light, for they were to welcome a new master to the world. It was not known when the egg would hatch, but knowing didn’t matter either, as they had the egg. They would protect and cherish the coming hatchling until the time came. And when the time came, so would his son’s destiny, Tizoc understood. The masters Ran and Shaw had ordered Zuko to bring Druk to them. That meant something, the warriors could tell. The two drakes’ destinies were now intertwined. They would remain together. Granted, they couldn’t tell exactly _how_ that would come to be, just that it would. A hatchling hadn’t been born to the warriors for nearly a century, and stories passed down could only teach so much. No one knew the capabilities Druk would possess just after his hatching; whether he would be able to walk, fly or even summon his own flame. He would have to be taught many a things, for every babe did, but to what extent the warriors themselves would have to take the responsibility, that was the question. Ham Ghao had speculated his teacher was to be Zuko.

Tizoc hadn’t known what to say, what to think. Could such a thing even be possible, for a master to learn from their pupil? Dragons were their masters and the Sun Warriors would be their pupils, and yet... what of their hymns, their scripts, their history, claiming Zuko’s potential prowess to be the equal of the dragons. It was within logic, for Zuko to guide the young drake once he had finally joined the world of mortals. Besides, would Zuko himself, teaching a master, not learn a thing. No, his boy was too smart to look an ostrich horse in the mouth, he would learn from the master just as Druk would learn from him.

However, none of this musing even mattered, not in current time. They were still young, both his son and his new master. Their time would come, but it had not yet. They remained free from their destinies, and, being aware now, Tizoc would not take their time for granted. He would train, and love, and protect his son until the moment came to be. 

He was so, so proud, and he would make sure that Zuko knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyo, here's chapter two.
> 
> I made the Sun Warriors celebrate for "twenty days and twenty nights" because during my research, the number twenty seemed to be very important in Aztec culture. Each period in the Xiuhpōhualli consists of twenty days, the year being compromised of "18x20 days+5 days" with the 5 extra days being considered unlucky. The Tōnalpōhualli, the celebratory Aztec calendar that consists of 260 days (13x20), is based around its 20th week. Supposedly, this emphasis on the number twenty is because humans have twenty fingers and toes in total. This part of Aztec culture actually reminds me of my own culture a lot. In Turkish culture (and Arabian cultures, and probably some other Eurasian cultures too) the number 40 is very culturally important, because it is considered the biggest number (in Turkish culture, its meaning is different in other cultures). Okay, obviously it isn't actually, but that is how it is culturally interpreted as. It's always 40 thieves and 40 years and the weddings of the heroes and the rich are always 40 days, 40 nights long. So yeah, it was interesting.


	3. Sparked Flame

It was a noon of Ce Cipactli and Agni was hung at the very top of his skies, paradoxically scorching and burning in the winter cold as he watched over his children, both with inner flame and not, of the warriors and of the nation, the spiritual and the misguided. He was burning; from sadness and pride, affection and anger, but, most of all, from anticipation. Agni was anticipating.

When one of his children was born with fire in their heart, it was Agni’s duty to make sure that they would gain life and not internal destruction. Every child would be different, for some would require an early awakening so as to not be consumed, while others could be allowed to fan their flames and make them grow. Agni would not pick and choose from his children (at least, not because of their inner flames he wouldn’t), but spirits couldn’t lie, so _he_ couldn’t lie, and say there were no differences between his early birds and his night hawks. Neither could ever be separated as better than the other, of course, however, the younger tended to have stronger and hotter flames, while the older would generally develop a more established control and understanding over their fires and their breath. This child was different. 

This child was different, for this child was a _drake_ , and Agni had been anticipating them ever since their soul had been created on its own, with neither his nor his sister’s light to help. Their flame, one which had been permitted to _thrive_ , had the power of a dragon, the power to burn or to soothe at the drake’s will, but their soul was that of pure life, and so, Agni had allowed for them to take as much time as they would need. 

But they were becoming restless now and, in reality, so was Agni himself. The little drake had a destiny to fulfill, and they required mastery and total knowledge of their inner flame to accomplish it. Neither would anticipate no more, for the little drake’s time had come and Agni could let their brilliant sparks loose.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko was an impatient child, or at least that was what Dad always called him, but Zuko himself didn’t think so. Uncle Ham Ghao didn’t agree with Dad either, and Uncle Ham Ghao was always right! (Because he would always be on Zuko’s side.) Dad said Agni was letting his flames grow, giving him a great gift of “unity” with his fire (whatever that word meant). Zuko thought Agni was just being unreasonable at this point. He was a spirits blessed _eight year old_ now. He should be allowed to summon his inner flame!

“And what is making you sulk, dearie?”

“’m not sulking...” he said. Nana Tozi merely chuckled and set herself down to his height. “Now, now sweetie, you can’t lie to me,” Nana sing-songed and tweaked him on both cheeks, “not with that adorable face of yours!” He shoved her hands away (or tried to).

“Nana, stop!”

“Oh, excuse me dear Zuko. I just can’t help myself, not when you’re sulking like that,” she said, looking anything but sorry. At least she did pull her hands away. 

“I’m not sulking,” he repeated.

“Of course you aren’t dear. Now, would you tell me what is bothering you?”

“I’m eight years old,” he said in place of a straightforward answer. 

“That you are, but that’s no reason for a mood. Growing up is a once in a life time opportunity!”

“That’s not why I’m angry-”

“Aha, so you admit that you are sulking.”

“I’m not sulking!”

“Come on now sweetie, there’s nothing to be ashamed of in frustration. It’s merely human nature; we all get like this sometimes,” she reassured, and now _that_ was helpful and had Zuko calming down in an instant. Nana Tozi always did know just what to say. “Besides,” she added with a teasing smile, “how am I supposed to help one of my children if I don’t know what’s wrong with them, hm?”

“Well, if you want to help... Can you tell Agni to hurry up already?!”

“Oh, so this is about your inner flame? I should have guessed, in hindsight.” That had Zuko tilting his head to the side in confusion. 

“What’s a hindsight?”

“It’s when you gain understanding of something only after it has already happened,” Nana Tozi helpfully explained. “But vocabulary lessons can wait for later. Zuko, darling, about your inner flame, I know it is hard to wait. Trust me, I know it personally, because my inner flame was only let out when I turned ten!”

“ _What!_ ” Zuko screamed in horror. “That sounds terrible!” Nana Tozi let out a knowing giggle at that. 

“It really wasn’t. Seriously! It truly was for the best for someone like me...” Nana Tozi’s eyes lost their focus, but only for a split second, because then she was looking at Zuko again and now they had joy in them. “You see, my little drake, I was born a very weak babe, and Agni could feel it, so he allowed my heart’s fire time and I was able to gain the strength I was lacking at my very first breath.” Nana Tozi must have taken his shocked expression as her cue, because she continued, “Agni knows his children, Zuko, all of them. Which is to say, he listens to us too. Let me tell you another little secret, dear,” her voice became a whisper before she said, “Agni gave me my inner flame when I sent him a prayer cursing him out!” Zuko’s eyes widened with awe and admiration.

“Wow! You really did that?...”

A booming laugh escaped Nana Tozi’s mouth. “Don’t get any ideas now, Zuko.” At Zuko’s pout she added “Do as I say, not as my immature younger self did.” Zuko stayed silent. “Do I have your word that you won’t curse Agni out?” 

“... _Fine._ ”

“Good. Now, won’t you be a dear and take little Cozamalotl,” she motioned her head to a small girl of six years, “on a short walk. She is getting quite restless all cooped up in here, and you have always been her favourite.” Zuko looked over at her and realized that Nana Tozi was right, because Coza was playing around with a little flame that she had given life to over her palm (she was one whose fire had been awakened early), clearly bored out of her mind. Zuko beamed and nodded, making his way towards Coza.

Zuko would admit that his little talk with Nana Tozi had been very helpful and the idea of spending time with Coza only made him happier. “Hey Coza!”

Said girl’s head snapped to face him. “Zuzu!”

“You bored?”

“Very!”

“Wanna go on a little walk?”

“U-huh.” She took his hand in hers and practically dragged him outside. They walked down the shallow stream that ran beside the communal tent they had just left; when it wasn’t frozen by the winter’s cold, that is. It was comfortable and Coza was chattering away, with Zuko usually only minimally adding on. Coza never seemed to mind though, which was why Zuko liked her so much. She talked about the usual: her warrior training with Aunty Atzi (her older sister), a new firebending dance her mom had taught her, how annoying her big brother Tonatiuh was (he wasn’t, Coza was just bratty).

“...and then he said I should listen to Mom about the breath thing!”

“Well, he is right though. With the way you’re doing the kick, it does sound like you waste too much of you’re breath.”

“But the fire is bigger when I do it like that!”

“It’s not about how big the fire is.”

“Yeah, but it’s _prettier_!”

“Smaller flames can be pretty too! Here, why don’t you show me,” he offered, “the way you’re supposed to do it.”

Coza complied and performed a perfect kick, both feet leaving the ground for only seconds and fire following her outstretched foot, but breaking away from her limb in an admittedly ugly way. Zuko thought he knew Coza’s problem.

“Maybe you can try to summon your flames differently? Like, from the sole of your foot instead of your toes.” Coza thought on this for a little while, before deciding to give it a try. The result really was much better. Coza was ecstatic and she hugged Zuko with a death grip to show her gratitude.

“Thank you thank youthankyouthankyouthan-”

“I can’t breathe...”

“-kyou!” 

She was also out of breath from her mantra of “Thank you”s by the time she finally let go. Zuko let himself breathe in and out a few times before replying “You’re welcome. Never do that again.”

“Sorry,” she smiled sheepishly. “I can’t wait until Agni stops being a butt and lets your flame go.” Zuko laughed at that, because _Cozamalotl_ had called Agni a butt and not Zuko, so it didn’t count, Nana Tozi! “Then we can dance together!”

“Yeah, that will be nice.”

After the whole “nearly getting killed by a six year old” thing, comfortable silence fell between the duo and they decided to sit by the seemingly endless stream, simply appreciating their surroundings. Zuko looked up at Agni then, and noticed he was surprisingly _warm_ for a Ce Cipactli of winter, even with it being noon, and he told Coza that too.

“What are you talking about? It’s freezing!” She shivered a little as if to prove her point.

“Huh. Must just be my imagination...”

“Yeah, probably.”

But it didn’t _feel_ that way. No, it felt as if Agni was attempting to _burn the world itself_ with how scorching he was, like the stream would thaw and the trees would catch fire under him. That wasn’t what was most surprising though. What surprised Zuko the most was the fact that he was completely comfortable, even with Agni’s rays feeling as if they were trying to melt his skin off of his bones. Right now, Agni felt like home, more than he had ever before felt like in Zuko’s entire life. And that had to mean _something_ , considering Zuko was literally a warrior of Agni. It was almost as if Agni was trying to speak to Zuko, trying to tell him something with every devastating heat wave he would send his way. Very suddenly, he stood up and, really, he could barely even acknowledge that he had done such a thing, because his mind felt foggy and empty, overwhelmed.

The yell was what ultimately snapped him out of... whatever that had been. It was Coza, he realized, and her yell had been one of pure delight and _amazement_. Zuko didn’t get it, until, that is, he looked toward his right hand, raised up (since when had he ever raised it?) and very warm, and saw. His inner flame was like nothing he had ever seen before, not from any other human at least. It was shocking and brilliant and it left Zuko utterly speechless, but he assumed he would get used to it, he would have to, because this fire was his. All of it, the orange and the yellow and red and _purple and green_ ; they were all _his_. This was the fire of dragons, and now it was his fire too. He looked over at Cozamalotl and smiled.

“Look Coza, they’re like you. My flames are like you!” Coza’s face _lit up_ at that and Zuko thought that it looked even more beautiful than his fire.

“They’re like me, they’re like me!”

Zuko’s face felt like it would break in two from his happiness and Coza’s face looked like it. It had happened, it had _finally_ happened. Agni had declared it time to release his inner flame into the world and Zuko swore he would never forget the day.

His fire was finally truly his, and he was so,so happy.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Tizoc had thought it impossible for him to be any prouder of his son than he already had been. That was before he had come barging into their tent on that fated noon of Ce Cipactli. That was before Agni had allowed his flames to escape his temporary hold over them. That was before his son had come to him, summoning the fires of their masters. He would never underestimate Zuko’s ability to impress again, that he swore to himself, for this, right in front of him, was the most beautiful thing he would ever see in the rest of his life, he knew. This was his one and only child, with his inner flame given.

The cheers and the dancing and the fires of the warriors, of his _people_ , could be heard by father and son still, even as they were sat on the altar, their masters performing their own celebration above them. It was the custom, for those newly released by Agni to visit Ran and Shaw with an older warrior, to perform the Dancing Dragon in front of them, the flames they would hold not being their own, but of the Eternal Flame. Tizoc would never forget the way the never-to-be-extinguished fire had turned into the one of dragons the moment it had been traded into Zuko’s hand, nor would he forget Zuko performing the dance for his first time, the colours of dragons following his movements. The little life Zuko had taken with him remained a one of their original and true masters, for Zuko still kept it alive, transferring it from one palm to the other. Tizoc, then, was struck with the fact that he was only a child, and hence, easily distractible. Zuko was _his_ child, in fact, and Tizoc knew he would make the best chief one day, leading their people to greatness worthy of their masters.

But, if he ever wished to become the leader he was destined to be, Zuko would have to know the truth. All of it.

Tizoc sighed then, for this was the real reason he and his child stayed on the altar still. Zuko was not made ignorant, not completely. Ham Ghao would never have allowed it, not after all that which he had heard, and, even if _he_ had been stopped, the masters wouldn’t have been, for they, too, wanted for Zuko to know. He knew only bits and pieces, never the full story, as it had not been his time yet. But it was now, and Tizoc would not go against the order of their masters. He would bare the full betrayal of the Fire Nation to his son.

But, before he had been able to speak: “Dad, is this about the day I was born?” His son truly was brilliant.

“Yes. What gave it away?”

“Uh, lucky guess I... guess,” Zuko shrugged. They stayed quiet for a while. Then Tizoc decided to Koh's lair with it.

“Zuko, before _I_ explain everything, I want to hear what you think. Please son, tell me everything that you know and believe to have happened,” Tizoc said, and he knew that this marked the beginning of a new life for his son.

“Well, I know the Fire Nation is evil, for one,” Zuko began and his words hurt, for his degradation of what should have been their sibling culture was ever so casual. Tizoc knew his son was correct. “And I know that I’m _not_ Fire Nation, even if I was technically born on their soil. That’s what Uncle Ham Ghao always says,” Zuko continued.

“And do you believe in what your uncle has told you?”

“Of course, absolutely! The Fire Nation is terrible and they would have all of us killed, all because we know the _true_ meaning of fire. They’re savages and they wouldn’t care that I ‘look’ like them.”

That had Tizoc releasing a breath, that he hadn’t been aware he was holding, in relief. “Good. I’m glad you know that you really are a Sun Warrior.”

“Obviously. What else would I be,” his son said with a smirk. Cheeky brat. Here Tizoc was, expressing his worry over his child’s well being, and Zuko had the nerve to tease him! He would get Zuko for this, preferably by embarrassing him with dad jokes. That would have to be for later, however, for Tizoc still had the truth to tell.

“What else do you know?”

“I know that I had a Fire Nation mom, but not another parent, because he gave up his right to me. That’s when Uncle Ham Ghao was ordered and then he brought me home with help from our master Ran,” he said with a smile, which Tizoc easily returned. “They were really important people, both of them, I think,” he added, almost as an afterthought. Then, his smile fell. He was silent for a while, but not longer than Tizoc was uncomfortable with. This wasn’t a silence of sorrow, but of thought. That eased Tizoc immensely.

“He tried to kill me, didn’t he? That’s what you all mean when you say he ‘gave up his right’, right?”

Tizoc prayed his thanks to all the spirits then, great and not, for his son had said what he had said in a smooth and straightforward manner, his voice carrying no signs of trauma and devastation, nor of reserved acceptance and guilt. He had simply stated a fact. His masters, his warriors, Tizoc himself, they had all succeeded in raising the boy, in uplifting him, in allowing him to thrive. Zuko knew his way in life, and while he would make wrong turns every once in awhile (as everyone did), he would never loose the road he was meant to walk. Zuko knew who he was and he would never forget, nobody could ever make him forget. His boy’s security in himself was assured, and Tizoc didn’t know if he was prouder of Zuko or of his masters, people and himself.

He nodded solemnly to Zuko’s question anyways as he said “I am sorry to say, he did.”

“Why are you, though? I mean, yeah, it was a jerk move, but I’m okay, aren’t I. Uncle Ham Ghao was able to save me and now I’m here, where I’m meant to be.”

Tizoc didn’t even try to keep his pure joy from showing on his face and instead turned to his son to say “Yes, I suppose you are right, my dear Zuko.” His son’s face seemed to reflect Tizoc’s own in its happiness. They were engulfed by silence once more, this one of complete comfort.

“So,” Zuko began in a way that could only be described as conversational, “who were they?” Tizoc hesitated for a second shorter than he thought he would have.

“You’re mother was Fire Princess Ursa of Hira’a, and the man who tried to snuff you’re life was Fire Prince Ozai, son of Fire Lord Azulon.” Zuko didn’t respond with words, but with amused laughter.

“Wow!” he exclaimed amongst his chuckles. “He must have been a really stupid prince. I mean, look at what he missed out on!” He played with his dragon’s fire some, throwing it from one hand to the other a few times. Tizoc laughed himself then at just how on the mark his son was.

“He was indeed.”

The atmosphere surrounding them became jovial after that and they could converse in ease. They talked about everything and yet nothing in particular, simply enjoying each others’ company as family celebrating an important milestone in life.

Agni begun disappearing over the horizon then, and Tizoc took one last glance at their masters before they retreated into their caves to sleep out Tui’s domain. He saw pride in the masters Ran and Shaw’s eyes; the same pride that could currently be found in Tizoc’s own. 

As their masters took their leave, so did he and his son to join the rest of their people in the dances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sup, I'm back. Sorry this chapter took longer than the previous. I had a friend over for a few days (we were safe, don't worry) and we marathoned A:TLA (I'm trying to get her into the fandom).
> 
> BTW, I absolutely despised writing from Agni's POV. It was the worst pain in the ass and I never want to do it again (but I know I'll probably have to, *sob*).
> 
> Now onto what you're actually here for: In the Tōnalpōhualli calendar each 260 day has a "day sign". There are a total of 20 day signs that cycle through 13 ; 1 Crocodile, 2 Wind, until it's 13 Reed and then the cycle starts from 1 Jaguar. This cycle continues until it's 1 Crocodile again (which is why the calendar is 20x13 days long). "Ce Cipactli" is 1 Crocodile and I chose it as the day Zuko got to firebend for the first time because 1) Ce Cipactli is a very culturally significant day (all the "1"s are) and 2) while the official translation of Cipactli is "crocodile" it could also sometimes translate as "dragon" (because there isn't an actual Nahuatl word for it) and, yeah, 'nuff said.
> 
> Also, the reason Zuko compared his fire to his friend is because "Cozamalotl" is a girl's name which, in Nahuatl, translates to "rainbow".


	4. A Dragon's Redemption

Uncle was coming home.

They had lost the six hundred-day Siege of Ba Sing Se and it was all Uncle’s fault. Uncle was a quitter, a loser and a sorry excuse for a general. The Earth Kingdom savages had killed his only son, and instead of conquering their “great” city and burning it to the ground like he should have done ( _like he said he would_ ) he gave up entirely and now he was coming back. Lu Ten was dead and Uncle was coming home.

Azula looked down at the unsheathed dagger in her hands and read its inscription (again): _‘Never give up without a fight.’_

“Should’ve taken your own advice, old man.”

She hears footsteps then and turns around to face her mother, her eyes dead and unfocused as always.

“Ozai has requested an audience with Fire Lord Azulon. Get yourself ready and then meet me by the doors.” She never called Dad anything but his name.

“Fire Lord Azulon... can't you just call him 'Grandfather'? He's not exactly the powerful Fire Lord he used to be. Someone will probably end up taking his place soon,” Azula drawled.

“Azula, enough,” Mother replied, her voice even and emotionless (it always was).

Azula ran past her to dress her best and met Mother by the doors like she had asked. Dad was already there, kneeled in front of Grandfather, and Azula and Mother gracefully did the same (well, Azula was graceful, Mother never seemed to care). Dad started speaking then, testing Azula on her knowledge of everything; military strategy, breath theory, Fire Nation history...

“And how was it Great-Grandfather Sozin managed to win the Battle of Han Tui?”

“Because even though his army was outnumbered, he cleverly calculated his advantages. The enemy was downwind and there was a drought. Their defenses burned to a crisp in minutes.”

“Correct, my dear. Now, would you show Grandfather the new moves you demonstrated to me?”

Azula could definitely do that and so she did, with ease and grace. She twirled and jumped, kicked and punched with perfect balance as fire followed her every movement. She finished off with a leap and a blast of flames toward the throne. She easily landed on her feet, not a single hair out of place.

“She’s a true prodigy! Just like her grandfather for whom she’s named,” Dad said and Azula smirked evenly at that. She looked over at Mother and... her face was still stone cold. Azula didn’t allow her smirk to waver and sat back down next to Dad. Grandfather spoke then.

“Prince Ozai, why are you wasting my time with this pomp? Just tell me what you want. Everyone else, go!”

Mother and Azula sat up to do just that, but when they reached the doors, Azula took a sharp turn to the right instead and hid herself behind the red curtains. She was sure Mother hadn’t noticed, and even if she had, she wouldn’t care, she never did, she-!

Azula doesn’t have the time to finish that train of thought, because Dad starts speaking again. 

“Father, you must have realized as I have, that with Lu Ten gone, Iroh's bloodline has ended. After his son's death, my brother abandoned the siege at Ba Sing Se, and who knows when he will return home. But I am here, Father, and so is my prodigious daughter.”

“Say what it is you want!”

“Father, revoke Iroh’s birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me.” The temperature of the room very suddenly spiked then.

“You dare suggest I betray Iroh? My first born? Directly after the demise of his only beloved son? I think Iroh has suffered enough! But you... your punishment has scarcely begun!” The fires of the throne rose to the ceiling, scorching it. Azula would admit that it was impressive, but Grandfather was still a fool. Any old peasant could have seen that Dad would make a much better Crown Prince and future Fire Lord. Uncle was a senile old man with a tea obsession, while Dad was smart, and cunning, and powerful, and-

“You must know the pain of watching your only child lose their life. By sacrificing your own!”

Azula froze, the fires froze, everything froze. She was only slightly aware she was clutching the curtains with a death grip, because this... No. No, no, _no, no!_ Dad wouldn’t, Azula just knew he wouldn’t, Dad loved her. Dad loved her and Grandfather was crazy. She wanted to go up the throne room and _scream_ that to his face, because Dad. _Loved. Her!_ He wouldn’t do such a thing! NO! One foot was already on the other side of the curtains before she realized what she was actually doing. She wasn’t supposed to be here. She absolutely wasn’t supposed to disrespect the Fire Lord...

_“You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher.”_

She held onto her back with one hand and felt the uneven lines stretching under it. All because she had gone against what her firebending tutor had said... _No!_ Dad wouldn’t do this. He loved her.

“I understand, father.” Azula ran.

Azula ran like her life depended on it, because it did. It actually did! She was going to die. Dad was going to kill her! He was going to kill her, _he was going to kill her, HE_ -

Azula hit something and fell. She looked up and realized it wasn’t a something, but a someone. Her mother was hovering above her. She looked... different. She offered a hand to Azula, still on the ground, and she took it. “Azula, dear, what is the matter?”... _oh. That’s_ what was different. Mother actually had emotions. This wasn’t right, none of this was right! Mother had emotions and Dad was... _NO!_ He wasn’t! Dad loved her! The torches decorating the walls crackled dangerously.

“NOTHING!” Azula ran to her room, completely unaware of golden eyes behind her, impossibly wide with pure terror.

~~~~~~~~~~~

When the now disgraced General Iroh had come knocking on his doors, distraught and broken, Piandao had let his old time friend in, serving him his favourite tea blend and giving him the safe space he had so desperately needed. He had talked to him, tried to soothe and take care of him, invited him in the form of the lotus tile. Iroh had accepted and then requested. He requested that Piandao join him in his newest quest. It was in the form of an old nursery rhyme, one of the blue and red masters, who could wield the most beautiful of fires. Iroh claimed that he knew of the identities of the masters from his time in the army and the Earth Kingdom: the last of the dragons. Iroh had said he wanted to learn their teachings and invited Piandao. He had accepted. 

Piandao had expected many things from this adventure... Being caught by a roundhouse on the head by a small arm and then getting tied to a tree next to his friend by a pair of seemingly feral kids had _not_ been one of them.

“They’re Fire Nation!” the shorter and chubbier of the two exclaimed, stating the obvious. So they could talk. And if they could talk, they weren’t actually feral. Hopefully.

“I can tell Coza. What do we do with them?” Coza? That was a weird name. And, wait, _they_ were Fire Nation? Then what in the name of spirits were these kids?

“Get rid of them obviously.”

“We’re not letting them go!”

“Of course, we aren’t Zuzu!” _Zuzu?_ That was an even weirder name! Just who _were_ these children?! “We can’t just do nothing either, though.”

“No actually, I think we can. Let’s just leave them here for the tigerdillos. That way, any other Fire Nation savage who comes here will be greeted by them and will become... _less willing_.” It was legitimately impressive how truly threatening two children who probably didn’t even reach Piandao’s waist could be, especially with the nearly a metre long spears they had. _‘Who gave children spears?!’_ was all Piandao could think just then.

“We could do that... or, we could take them back as dinner to the masters Ra-!” The chubby one was cut off by a hand on their mouth by the taller one.

“Shh, are you crazy?! The Fire Nation can’t know about them!”

“Actually,” Iroh spoke up and Piandao jumped, as he had forgotten there even was another person with him besides the children, “we already know about Ran and Shaw, and we have simply sought them out as teachers,” he said with an open smile. That had apparently been the wrong thing to say, because before Piandao could even blink, the children had hounded them, their spears each pointing to a throat. Their very, very _sharp_ spears. Spirits have mercy.

“How do you know about them?”

Iroh, seeing his mistake, tried diffusing the already tense situation. “Now hold on, calm down. This is all just a big misunderstanding-” The taller one’s spear was by his throat in seconds.

“Answer her!”

“From a nursery rhyme!” Piandao stuttered out.  
“’Blue and Red would wield the rainbow,  
Soothe the burns that scars would follow,  
For they were spirits who had chosen limbo,’  
It’s an old Fire Nation nursery rhyme. That’s how we knew!” he hurriedly said in a single breath. The kids pulled away their spears and the shorter let out a powerful but uncontrolled blast of fire out of frustration, scorching the dried up grass (and thankfully not anything else).

“This is bad. This is really, really bad,” she said as she turned to the other.

“No kidding. We have to tell a grown up.” The girl looked startled at that. 

“But we can’t,” she said in a panic.

“Coza, we have to. For the sake of the masters,” the other stated in a firm and stern voice.

“We’re not supposed to be here, though. We’ll get in trouble!”

The taller looked ready to argue further, and had opened their mouth to do so, but before they could: “Get in trouble for what?” He screamed, Iroh screamed, the children screamed, and then turned around.

“Uncle Ham Ghao!”

“Hey! Uh- hi!”

“Cozamalotl, Zuko.” Iroh let out a loud gasp at that, why, Piandao couldn’t possibly know or guess. It caught the attention of the newly arrived man, anyhow. “And what do we have here?”

“Fire Nation! We caught sight of them while on a walk. Coza hit the tall one and I took care of the fat one. Then we tied them up. Uncle Ham Ghao, they know about our masters!” The man’s eyes widened and Piandao feared the worst, but then his mouth formed into a teasing smirk.

“Well then, it was a very good thing you two were out on your ‘walk’,” he looked at the chubby girl, “with your sister’s tepoztopillis in hand, no less,” the man finished with a raised brow at the children, smirk still in place. Piandao only had a moment to note that he had never before, in his life, heard of a “tepoztopilli”, because the two kids faltered then and shared a look.

“Well, you see, Atzi said uh- that we um- could have them! For, uh, practice! Yeah, Atzi gave us her tepoztopillis for practice.” The girl nodded along with a forced smile that matched the other child’s.

“Ah, yes, of course, Warrior ‘Calm down for spirit’s sake, you’re only children’ Atzi gave you her tepoztopillis for practice.” the man said easily. The children’s fake smiles fell and their heads did too in guilt. _‘At least nobody gave children spears.’_ Piandao thought. Then the man laughed loudly and Piandao was caught off his guard for the third time in under ten minutes. Huh. He really was getting old. (Of course he was, he got bested by a couple of _kids_.)

“Good job you two.” _‘Wait, what?’_ The children looked equally confused.

“Huh?”

“You’re not mad?”

“Oh, come on, you really think I’m that boring? I’m offended,” the man said dramatically but with a smile, which both children returned. _‘Of course they want to give children spears!’_ Piandao thought, and he would have sighed if he had been brave enough. “It was about time one of you children broke those stifling rules. One should be allowed to begin their weapons training whenever they feel ready, especially considering your talents. I’m guessing Zuko was the one that did the stealing?” Both children protested at that.

“I didn’t steal!”

“I helped!”

The man laughed again, and it seemed to be infectious, because both kids started laughing too after awhile.

“Yeah, fine, I stole.”

“And I didn’t help much, just waited outside.”

The man patted them both on their shoulders. “I’m glad you did. I keep telling your dad that we really need to change those rules, Zuko.” Then, all of a sudden, the man was looking straight at him and Iroh, still tied to the tree, and Piandao did not like the malice he saw in those eyes. “Maybe he just might change his mind after this.” The man patted a bulky, wooden, sword like weapon at his waist then.

This was _not_ what Piandao had signed up for.

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Iroh had fled Ba Sing Se and decided to seek out the original masters, he had been wanting his redemption only so he could do away with the emptiness left in his heart after... everything. But now, he didn’t just want it, he needed it. General Iroh, crown prince to the Fire Nation, would do _anything_ to atone for his past crimes, because this boy, this Zuko in front of him... but no, it couldn’t possibly be _him_. Yet it still made sense. The boy was so much fairer than any of his family and friends, and a name like “Zuko” amongst names like “Cozamalotl” or “Ham Ghao” just sounded too foreign. Sure, from whatever culture these people were from, Iroh could tell that they were in some way connected to the Fire Nation, and that they shared _some_ cultural aspects with each other (all of them did seem pretty fond of Phoenix tails, for one), but _this_... it just couldn’t be a coincidence! The spirits didn’t work that way.

Iroh needed his redemption, and he explained as such to the chief. The chief of _the Sun Warriors_ , he and his friend were told, and the boy’s, Zuko’s, _father_. He had searched for any sort of sign on the boy’s face when he had told the warriors who he was. Nothing, or at least, nothing notably different than what he found when he looked at the rest of the warriors. Maybe they hadn’t told Zuko of anything (or maybe he just wasn’t _him_ ).

“So you, Prince Iroh of the Fire Nation, wish for the masters Ran and Shaw to _grant you_ your redemption?” the chief spoke, his voice hard and steely.

“No, I would never. I simply need for your masters to guide me in my journey to it.”

“And, what, you think they actually would? You think you’re worthy?! Just didn’t kill enough people at Ba Sing Se?” the man from before, Ham Ghao he recalled, mocked and the rest of the warriors seemed to agree, as they jeered at him themselves. (“Monster.”, “Savage!”, “Murderer...”) Not even the chief himself interrupted and Iroh lowered his head in his shame, because they were right. Even still, this visceral ridicule hadn’t come from only _his_ crimes against humanity, and it hadn’t come from the far past either, Iroh could tell. No, this hatred of him, of his nation, had been born out of something much more recent and personal. Iroh thought to Zuko then, who was standing only a metre or so away from him, next to his, well, _father_. The scorn of the warriors did nothing but convince Iroh further.

“If the masters Ran and Shaw do deem me beyond redemption, I won’t fight against their decision. But I must try. Please, it’s my only chance.” The chief considered him for a few moments. Then he turned behind to face his people.

“What do the rest of Agni’s warriors have to say about these,” he looked back at him and Piandao then, “... _visitors_ ,” he spat the word. The warriors fell silent for awhile, in thought. Ham Ghao was the first to speak.

“I say we let him! He’d make good food for the masters if nothing else, that’s for sure.” The rest of the warriors voiced their approval of such a consensus, some with shouts and others in quiet murmurs. 

“Am I able to join him, as a non-bender?” Piandao interjected then.

“Anyone is welcome to be on the altar of the masters,” the chief answered.

“As long as they’re worthy!” Ham Ghao snidely added.

“Indeed,” the chief nodded his agreement. Iroh was simply relieved he would be allowed.

“What is it that I have to do?”

“As Fire Nation, this will be your first time seeing the masters. It is our custom that those who will learn from Ran and Shaw carry with them not their own fire, but that of the Eternal Flame,” the chief said as he pointed to behind them, where a large fire Iroh assumed to be the Eternal Flame laid, burning. “These flames were the very first granted to the mortals by our masters. We have kept them alive ever since they were given to us,” he explained further. “Once you are there,” he pointed upwards towards a mountain, “you are to perform the Dancing Dragon in front of them, fire or no fire, and they will judge you then,” he finished. Iroh felt lost.

“The Dancing Dragon?”

“Oh please!” Ham Ghao exclaimed. “Tell me the Fire Nation isn’t _this_ ignorant, as to not know of the very first firebending kata.” All of the warriors groaned at both his and Piandao’s silence, even the chief.

“No matter,” the chief declared and turned to Piandao, “you say you are a non-bender?” At Piandao’s nod of confirmation he continued, “Then you shall need one of the warriors to assist you, Prince Iroh, for the Dancing Dragon is a dual kata.” He faced his people once more. “Who here would like to join the Fire Nation in their ascent of the mountain?” Iroh hadn’t expected an immediate response, and he definitely hadn’t expected the one who had responded.

“I will.” Maybe they had told the boy after all. The chief’s eyes widened in alarm.

“Zuko, absolutely no-!” Who interrupted the chief surprised Iroh even more than Zuko had.

“Tizoc, let him,” Ham Ghao said. “He can handle this, I know he can,” he smiled encouragingly up at the chief and then at Zuko. The chief sighed, but then turned to his, _son_ , to do the same.

“Very well, then,” he said as he walked towards the Eternal Flame and took from it a small amount. He then separated the already minuscule fire into two and beckoned his son and Iroh to take one. Iroh took his, but barely, his inner flame still put out, hardly managing to control the tiny flames. When Zuko took his own share, though, Iroh nearly lost control. _‘What in spirits’ names are those_ colours _?’_ There were the usual suspects of yellow and orange, but then there was a red so rich in its colour, Iroh swore that he was just seeing things... but then there was also _green and purple_. Rainbow fire, the fire of the dragons... impossible. But it wasn’t, because here Zuko was in front of him, holding the flames, _his_ flames. His little friend hadn’t had such fire, and neither had Ham Ghao as he had escorted Iroh and Piandao to the rest of the warriors. This child was something else entirely.

He squinted his eyes at Iroh then, and the Eternal Flame in his grasp grew, not in size, but in intensity, in their brilliant colours, in warning. Iroh decided then that he would _not_ test this boy, not until he (hopefully) got to know him, at least, as his... well, that still remained to be seen. Iroh would need more patience if he wanted to figure this out.

“If you wish to reach the masters, your flames must remain in balance; neither too small nor too big. Keep the fire alive. Though, I doubt that will be much of a problem for you,” the chief said, the last part aimed at his son with a smile, which the kid happily returned. “Now go.”

He and Zuko walked side by side, Piandao right behind them. For someone who could very well die in a few minutes, Iroh, surprisingly enough, didn’t feel much of fear or tension. If anything, he felt a bit awkward, walking next to the _child_ who had defeated _him_ , a skilled and trained general... That had wounded his ego, he would admit. 

He heard the rhythmic music and the crackling of flames then; the drums and the chanting and, what he assumed to be, firebending, some highly advanced katas at that. Iroh wouldn't dare look back to the warriors, not with the chief’s son right beside him, but Piandao seemed more emboldened, now that he wasn’t surrounded, even without his blade (for the warriors had confiscated it). 

“Just what are they doing back there?” he asks, catching the boy’s attention.

“Hm? Oh, you know, dancing, rituals, just the usual,” he shrugged nonchalantly. He looked back at Piandao with a raised eyebrow. “Why? Don’t you do the same in the Fire Nation? Like when something important happens or... something.”

“No?” The boy’s eyes slightly widened.

“You people really are primitive, huh.” Iroh took great offense to that, as the boy hadn’t just insulted him, but _his people_ , the majority of whom were innocent civilians brainwashed by the Royal Family, _his_ family, who had no choice and no blame in _any_ of this, who didn’t and couldn’t know any better... He would have told the boy so, if they hadn’t reached the bottom of the mountain then. Iroh hesitated for a split second, and apparently it was enough to provoke Zuko’s ire, who had already taken a couple of steps.

“Well, are you coming? Or was this all just a waste of our time?” Iroh took a deep breath and then started climbing, his friend close behind him. When they reached the altar, the fire in his hand still burning, but only just, the music very suddenly stopped. Then:

“Those who wish to meet the masters, Ran and Shaw, will now present their fire.”

Zuko bowed low, the hand holding the Eternal Flame outstretched, and Iroh followed to do the same. Piandao stood back, near the top of the steps. A horn sounded off. Then the ground beneath them began to rumble. Their mastery in firebending and swordsmanship respectively had been the only thing that kept him and his friend standing. Iroh couldn’t possibly imagine how the child had kept his balance, but he supposed growing up with the masters must have helped if they did _this_ every time they showed themselves. Then they actually did and this time Iroh really did lose the Eternal Flame. 

They were... majestic, the very definition of beauty and grace. The red master left its haven first and circled on top of the altar, on top of them. The blue master joined its partner and followed, the both of them flying, no, _dancing_ with each other in perfect harmony and peace. He looked at his own dance partner then. The child was watching his masters, his eyes shining with an affection that Iroh himself had possessed just a few short weeks ago. Iroh understood then. He understood that the masters weren’t just that to these people, but also an integral part of their community. These dragons, known as Ran and Shaw were _family_ to the Sun Warriors. Just like he once had, the one he had tried so hard to protect...

“Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine,” Zuko spoke as he let his piece of the Eternal Flame die, breaking Iroh out of the trance brought on by his sudden epiphany. Iroh knew what he had to do now, and he just hoped the masters would see his heart and allow him to accomplish it. He nodded to the child next to him and then he was mimicking not only his, but also his masters’ movements. It was the most exhilarating kata Iroh had ever performed in his life, even without his fire to accompany him. The movements were definitely much too simple for a battle worn general such as himself, but doing this, dancing like this in front of the masters... it was like a part of him he never knew was even missing had finally been completed.

But then the kid stopped, so Iroh stopped too, and looked up. The masters had stopped also, and they were lowering themselves down, until their feet touched the altar’s floor, their golden eyes watching Iroh and Iroh alone. Then, both of their mouths opened and Iroh had only a few seconds to register Piandao’s scream before he was engulfed. He saw, again, those same colours he had seen Zuko wield. The fire of dragons. The legends were true indeed, for the masters’ flames did nothing to Iroh’s skin but warm it. At the wills of the masters Ran and Shaw, their fires did not burn Iroh, but soothed him, liberated him. (He wondered briefly, if this was what Zuko was capable of as well.) He had been deemed worthy and he would make sure the dragons did not regret their decision.

Just as quickly as they had been created, the fires died down, and the two dragons flew up to continue their dance above them. Piandao ran up to him and, very much unexpectedly, embraced him, then pulled away just as hastily.

“You’re okay! How are you even alive? I thought you were a goner,” he said at Iroh’s questioning look. They heard a snort then and turned to find Zuko, sitting on the ground in the lotus position, watching his masters.

“Seriously? You guys seek out our masters, only to go ahead and doubt their prowess? He’s alive because Ran and Shaw _wanted_ him alive!”

“I- had simply assumed that the stories about dragon’s fire were exactly that. Just stories,” Piandao faltered.

“Of course you thought that. I can’t imagine you people knowing all that much about our original masters. Especially considering you’re the ones who killed them all!” the boy said bitterly as he turned to glare at them. Both men ducked their heads in shame. Zuko returned to watching his masters. Iroh walked towards him.

“May I sit next to you?” he asked. Zuko just huffed, which Iroh took as a yes, because he could, forming his own lotus beside the kid. They stayed quiet for a while, before:

“You know, don’t you?” A hope Iroh had assumed he would never feel again rekindled with those words, because this child, this _Zuko_ , he really was him.

“I do, though I must say I am quite surprised that you know yourself.”

“Obviously I know! Ran and Shaw wanted me to know and Uncle Ham Ghao would have told me anyhow.” Iroh felt regret and anger at that, because in another life, Zuko would have called _him_ his uncle. “...He was the one who saved me, Uncle Ham Ghao I mean. He heard everything. He still has nightmares sometimes.” Iroh felt ashamed of himself and pity for Ham Ghao then. Ursa’s breakdowns, and later the walls she would build around herself, had been a constant for him when he was living at the Caldera. He couldn’t possibly imagine what it had been like, to have been actually present when _it_ happened, or worse, what it had been like to be _her_. 

“Do you trust me now?” Iroh asked, taking it slow so as to not ruin this before it had even started.

“I trust you, because the masters trust you. That doesn’t mean I like you!” the child clarified with a glare.

“And I wouldn’t expect you to like me, not now and not ever, for that is something completely up to you.” It was silent again after that.

“What are you going to do now?” Zuko asked suddenly and Iroh knew how to answer, had been ready to answer ever since he caught his first sight of the masters. 

“I am going to go back home, to announce that the last of the dragons are dead. I will declare the Dragon Hunts over, and nobody will question or interrogate me, as the Fire Prince.” Iroh was hugged without warning for the second time that day. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” the child chanted before letting go. “You’re going to lie. You’re going to lie and protect Ran and Shaw! Thank you.” Iroh swore he would never forget that smile of pure joy Zuko gave him then.

“No, please. Do not thank me. I am simply doing the right thing.” Zuko’s smile, if possible, grew.

“Well, yeah, but uh- thank you anyways!” Iroh felt the ice between them truly break with that, and he thought that, maybe, this could really happen.

“Zuko... may I ask you something?” At Zuko’s expectant face, he gathered all of his courage. “Well, you see, I uh- suppose we didn’t exactly get off on the right foot, you beating me up and all, and don’t get me wrong. I absolutely do not blame you for that! But, do you think that... do you suppose we could start over, get to truly know each other as uncle and nephew?” (Iroh thought he heard Piandao’s mouth drop to the floor then, but he could deal with his friend later.) To his relief, Zuko’s smile didn’t fall, only became a little softer.

“Yeah, I think we could do that.” Iroh made an oath to himself then, that if this truly worked out, he would not fail this child the same way he had failed Lu Ten. He had learned from his mistakes, and he would protect his nephew, no matter what.

“Well then,” Piandao spoke up then, “wasn’t this just a fascinating day. Very interesting indeed!” He looked over at Iroh, wordlessly saying _‘You will explain this all later, old man!’_ , and Iroh had every intention to do so. Just not right now, he had a nephew to get to know. “It was a bit _too_ interesting, in fact, and I may just need to unwind a little bit after all that has happened today. Hey kid, are we good now?”

Zuko startled a bit before responding “Uh- yeah? I think we are?”

“That’s nice,” Piandao said as he sat down in his own lotus, which could only mean he was about to go absolutely off. Oh dear spirits.

“So... what exactly is a tepoztopilli?”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Dad was Fire Lord. 

Dad was Fire Lord and Grandfather was dead and Azula was alive. She was alive. Grandfather was gone and Dad was Fire Lord. Dad had saved her. Dad had saved Azula’s life and Grandfather was dead. It was okay.

Azula had known that it would all be okay. She had known that Dad would never kill her. Dad loved her, and he had saved her. Dad was Fire Lord and she was the crown princess. Everything was okay. Dad loved her and he was Fire Lord. Azula would be fine.

Even Mother was finally, _finally_ , giving her the attention she truly deserved, as the perfect heir to the Fire Nation throne. Mother would be present at her firebending lessons, _all_ of them, watching attentively. At dinner, she would always talk to her (but never to Dad). When Mai and Ty Lee came over, she would greet them with Azula. Mother finally cared about her and Dad loved her. She was Crown Princess. 

She was Crown Princess and Mother was Fire Lady and Dad was Fire Lord. Everything was perfect. Everything was fine. Really, it was. Dad loved her and Mother cared. It was fine. Azula had known it would be...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: I listened to the Kahoot theme vylet trap remix while editing this chapter.
> 
> The tepoztopilli is an Aztec spear that, in most cases, is made completely out of wood except for its point, which is compromised of many small and super sharp stones, obsidian, flint or similar material. Just google "tepoztopilli" to see a picture of one of these beauties. Also, the "bulky, wooden, sword like weapon" Ham Ghao had with him is also an Aztec weapon that will be mentioned *way* later in the fic, along with other weapons ;)


	5. Hatching of the Master

“Again! This time with intent.”

Coza let out a groan at that and Zuko himself barely suppressed one. They were both panting and sweating, and had they not been firebenders he was sure they would have both suffered heatstroke by now. Zuko liked Atzi, he really did, but making her a teacher had been a huge mistake on Dad’s part. She had assigned them Cenui, a two person dance that Zuko actually really enjoyed. It wasn’t necessarily a difficult dance, however it definitely was on the more dangerous side. It would start out tame enough, with the only interesting part being where one dancer would jump using their partner’s shoulders, but, about midway through, the dancers would propel themselves using their hands and keep themselves a couple or so metres above ground with their fires for around half a minute, only to then free fall back down. This part would be repeated a few times throughout, and would be the finishing act as well. It was a dance with many casualties, and while neither he nor Coza had ever botched it before, there apparently was that one time Tonatiuh had broken an arm (Zuko had been way too young then to remember the incident now). 

Zuko knew he was a good dancer, and he could see for himself how good Coza was too. Uncle Iroh, when he could come to visit them, always described them as the perfect dance partners. And yet, it seemed that nothing but actual, literal perfection would be enough for Atzi, as she was still pushing them after _five whole hours_! Zuko could already feel the muscle soreness that he would no doubt have tomorrow.

“Now that was better,” Atzi said after they had done Cenui for what must have been the hundredth time, “but-“

“No!” Coza finally burst out. “This is enough. Zuko and I don’t have to improve anything anymore. We can perform Cenui just fine now! Just- ugh, enough!”

“Coza, these lessons are for _your_ benefit-”

“I know, okay! But we’ve been doing a single dance for hours now. I think we’ve got it down by now. Just stop being a jerk and let us go already!”

“Cozamalotl! Stop acting out-!”

“Well,” Zuko started, coming to his friend’s defense, “maybe she wouldn’t act out if you weren’t such an annoying perfectionist yourself.”

“I am not!” Atzi exclaimed. They both just deadpanned at that. For her credit, Atzi seemed to actually take the hint, as she finally _looked_ at their exhausted faces and deflated slightly in guilt.

“Oh wow, I really did push you too hard, didn’t I.”

“Yeah, you did,” Coza said, red faced and breathing hard.

“I’m so sorry you two. You’re right, that’s enough for to-” they both fell down onto the ground, “-day... Oh, come on! You’re just being dramatic now.” Coza shot a weak blast of fire at her sister for that.

“No, we’re not!” she said, her voice muffled by the dirt in her face. Atzi huffed, clearly annoyed (like she had any right!), and walked off with a stomp to her steps. It was a while before either of them were able to catch their breaths. Coza managed to speak first.

“About time! I’m so glad that’s over. I thought it would never end.” 

“You can say that again,” Zuko said after he was sure he wouldn’t pass out from lack of oxygen. They only spoke again when they could both stand without immediately falling back down on their faces.

“So, what do you want to do, now that we’re finally free?” Coza asked. Zuko just shrugged.

“I don’t know...”

Coza seemed to be in thought for awhile, before her eyes lit up and she asked with a smirk “Want to go visit Druk?” Zuko perked up at that and answered her with his own smirk.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Tizoc’s mind was hazy as he ran with panicked steps towards Druk’s incubator, Warrior Ohtli right beside him, wheezing and surely with a side stitch by now from all their sprinting.

“Ohtli, you are indeed certain of what you saw?” he asked again, for this was a topic of utmost concern.

“I swear on the spirits I saw the egg shaking. I heard a crack!” they gasped out. The time had come. It was actually happening. The Sun Warriors were about to welcome their newest master into the world. The first ever dragon in nearly a century was going to hatch. Tizoc picked up his pace. He had to ensure the hatchling's safety, because even with Ohtli assuring him that Chimalli was still in his station, guarding Druk with his life, Tizoc would be damned if he, as the current chief, wasn’t present himself to make sure. He only slowed down somewhat when he saw the incubator in the distance... and then, to his horror, Warrior Chimalli, outside and very much not in his station. He sped up again.

“That _idiot_!” he heard Ohtli hiss out from behind, and he couldn’t help but agree. When he finally reached the entrance, he didn’t bother to try and mask his anger (nor hide his fear).

“What in Agni and Tui’s name are you _doing_?!” he screamed at his warrior. 

“Chief Tizoc-”

“You should be inside, _protecting our master!_ ”

“I know-”

“THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING _OUTSIDE_ , YOU INCOMPETENT-!”

“Chief!” Ohtli cried out in a hushed voice and that managed to snap him out of his rage. They were standing just behind Chimalli as they peered inside the incubator, their posture somewhat stiff yet their shoulders slumped over in relief despite it. Tizoc himself hurried to look inside then. He was surprised to find the two children in the incubator, Zuko, sat on the ground on his knees, and Cozamalotl, crouched beside her friend in a squat. Neither of them took notice of the three adults, and Tizoc had the opportunity to observe them as they remained undisturbed. Coza’s eyes were wide in apparent awe and… adoration? Her mouth was hanging open as well, though she seemed completely unaware. She was looking at something on Zuko’s lap and that’s when Tizoc realized his son’s hands were gathered as he, too, looked down on them with a similar expression, holding the something. Holding the _someone_. Dear spirits.

“They came barging in while Ohtli was out getting you,” Chimalli spoke up, which had everyone else, children and adults, startling at it and Tizoc turning to face him apologetically. “I tried escorting them back, but then the egg hatched and, well…” he trailed off and made a vague hand gesture towards the children, as if it would explain everything (which it did). Tizoc turned back to the kids.

The children, not caring about what the adults were saying, had returned to admiring their newly hatched master, and Tizoc found himself doing the same. Druk was much like a miniature of the masters Ran and Shaw, long and serpentine and beautiful, though he was neither red or blue, but rather a rich yellow that made his scales shine as if they were out of the purest of gold. His wings were drawn back and wrinkled, however, and Tizoc prayed to Agni that this was normal for new born dragons, for the Sun Warriors had no sources in hand which could confirm it, as they had all been _burned_ ; burned by the savages, the traitors, the- Tizoc sighed. No. This was not the time to let bitterness consume him. Hatchling Druk, the newest master of the Sun Warriors, had been born, and he looked powerful and full of life, Tizoc told himself to sate his worries. The children didn’t seem at all concerned at least.

“He’s so small...” Zuko said in wonder as Coza let out a little giggle.

“He’s so cute!” Druk puffed out a small strand of smoke, then, as if in agreement, which made both children laugh. Tizoc chuckled himself at that.

No, this was absolutely no time to be pondering over their treacherous sibling culture. This was a time of happiness and hope, of celebration, for their master Druk was here. Though, Tizoc supposed it wouldn’t hurt to invite over the few Fire Nation who had managed to rediscover fire’s meaning and, in turn, gain the Sun Warriors’ trust. After all, along with Druk, his son’s destiny had too arrived.

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Iroh had spotted the now familiar messenger hawk outside from his window during his afternoon tea, he had at first thought he must have seen wrong. Just as he had concluded so and turned his head back, the bird had flew right through his window and neatly landed on his Pai Sho table. This was certainly worrisome. Every single message he had received from the Sun Warriors since his life changing field trip had always been an invitation, but those would only ever come, close to either the winter or summer solstice, for the warriors really couldn’t risk their secrecy by being careless. (Iroh understood and respected their trepidation well enough, he just wished he could spend more than a couple of months per year with his nephew.) It was currently a warm yet damp spring day, nowhere near either solstice. He had quickly went over to the awaiting hawk and hurriedly read its message. It _was_ indeed an invitation, but the friendly contents of the letter did nothing to ease Iroh, for it didn’t actually explain why or to what he was invited.

In his doubts and fears, Iroh had been speedy and, perhaps, a little sloppy in his preparations and departure. The only person he had really even informed of his leaving had been his niece. Well, he had _tried_ to say goodbye anyways. Azula hadn’t really listened to him, what with _throwing a blue fire ball_ over his head and all, then laughing about it to add insult to (near) injury. Iroh didn’t want to pick favourites, he truly didn’t, but spirits did that girl make it hard to _not_ feel giddy relief at the prospect of visiting his nephew.

“We are ready to dock, Prince Iroh,” Lieutenant Jee informed him, then, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Your items have been prepared for your journey, sir,” he continued with a bow.

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” he said as he watched the technically dishonored man quickly return to his duties. Seeing to the ex-general’s travel needs had been an unimaginable and nerve wracking pleasure, one which they would never question, for the Wani’s crew a mere two years ago, but now, it had simply become their ordinary. His relations with the unfairly demoted crew had improved dramatically over that time, and Iroh was glad for it. When, and not if, he finally made his “treason” to his nation official, he would need loyal people to support him by his side, after all, and, really, what better candidates were there than an already disenfranchised crew who could be swayed to see the true horror of the Hundred Year War.

As he walked off of the Wani, he turned to face the crew one last time before he went on his trek, carrying his own (admittedly minuscule amount of) belongings without help from servants, to explain “I do not know how long this journey of mine will take, so please, make yourselves comfortable here. I have left vouchers for each of you so that you may pay for any necessary expenses using the Royal Family Treasure. Take care of yourselves.” He quickly turned back so as not to have to see the looks of astonishment the crew were no doubt giving him and began to walk.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Ham Ghao would admit that he could be an impatient man who didn’t enjoy waiting upon others, but how quick the Dragon of the West’s arrival had been was much more surprising than it was pleasing, even for someone like himself. He _was_ pleased, of course, for he and Iroh had managed to form quite the friendship over the few years they had known each other, shocking everybody, and most of all themselves. Tizoc believed it was their equal love for Zuko which had ultimately shaped their bond, and Ham Ghao would have to agree (even if Ham Ghao’s affection absolutely, without a doubt outweighed Iroh’s). When he caught sight of the other man after only _a single day_ of the invitation being sent, a little ways away from their border, he met him halfway through.

“Well, I got to give it to you, you are an impressive man, Iroh, even in retirement,” he smirked. Iroh did not sagely smile back, however. That had Ham Ghao raising an eyebrow in inquiry.

“Ham Ghao, why have you invited me to your haven out of season? What has gone wrong? Has someone...” he trailed off. _Oh_. Well, what a paranoid idiot. Ham Ghao couldn’t help but laugh at his expense.

“Ham Ghao?”

“You really are a worrywart, huh,” he said between chuckles, and when Iroh sent him a glare with no actual hatred behind it, Ham Ghao knew he was at ease. “Nothing has happened! Well, nothing bad at least. In fact, I would have thought you could have figured it out by now, Oh Wise Tea Man,” he took the inevitable jab at him. Iroh pretended to think for a second before replying.

“It would appear that I can’t. So won’t you enlighten an old man,” Iroh finally smiled. Ham Ghao answered with one of his own.

“Yesterday afternoon, our master Druk finally hatched!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Piandao had finally arrived for whatever he had been invited to by the warriors, he had been met with fire and cheers and a celebration like he had never before witnessed. It had all been so overwhelming in its joy and wildness that Piandao could have almost been fooled to believe that the actual war had ended. Only when he caught sight of Zuko, with a newly hatched _dragon_ wrapped around his youngest pupil’s neck, did he understand, and promptly join along to the frenzied dancing, even if he... wasn’t really the best. It didn’t even really matter, in the end, because he still got his own moments of glory, however brief, when he would invite Zuko to mock duels, him with his jian and Zuko with his dual dao, the encouragement by the warriors, mostly for Zuko, serving as a backdrop.

An entire day of partying (or maybe five) had already passed by, seemingly without anybody even taking notice, when Chief Tizoc had taken Piandao along with Iroh to the side, adequately away from the celebrations so that they could hear themselves speak. They had all known that this day would come, ever since the two men had earned the trust of Agni’s Warriors as Fire Nation allies and been entrusted with the knowledge of the sunstone, in fact. Even still, it all felt unreal now; like it was nothing but a dream.

“Our master Druk has been born,” Tizoc began, “and he has indeed chosen Zuko as his own master.” All three men looked over at said child then, Druk still wrapped around his neck, stuck to him as if he were the glue the Sun Warriors would use in their traps, and one of the warriors (Chimalli, was it?) had explained to him and Iroh that the dragon had been by Zuko’s side since he had _hatched_ , Piandao recalled. He did not doubt the chief’s conclusion one bit.

“The Sun Warriors do not have any remaining sources that could help us with raising the babe,” Tizoc continued, “and I do not believe you have any either,” he said, looking directly at the both of them now. A great sense of accomplishment washed over Piandao when he saw no hatred in the chief’s eyes, only reserved sadness. His eyes still went downcast to confirm Tizoc’s assumption. “Zuko will have to go out into the world to properly train Druk, to learn how he possibly even could,” Tizoc finally stated, saying what none of them wanted to hear.

“He’s only thirteen...” Piandao said, much less in opposition and more in pain that the world was so out of balance that this even had to happen; that a child had to leave his family in order to fulfill a mission much larger than he was.

“I know of a Fire Nation vessel that could be of help,” Iroh spoke up, “the Wani. Its crew are seen as inferior by their own nation, and I have gained their full loyalty and them, my trust. If any of my nation can be convinced of the war’s evil, it is them.” Tizoc remained silent for a while.

“If you can trust them Iroh, then so can I,” he said then. “It might be that I don’t have much of a choice to begin with...” he trailed off and turned back to his warriors.

“Your son is a brilliant bender,” Iroh reassured, “and he will be just as brilliant of a teacher.”

“I know,” Tizoc replied after a while of watching Zuko, “I just wish he didn’t have to be.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Cozamalotl could be an immature and emotional child, Tonatiuh knew from experience, but even still, never before had he seen his sister throw such a massive tantrum in his life. For the first time, he didn’t think she was so unreasonable for it, either. He felt like he could throw a fit himself, actually, because _this_... no, it couldn’t happen! It just couldn’t. He could feel the tears stinging his eyes.

“He _can’t_ leave!” Coza practically screeched, the fires around them rising dangerously with the stomp of her foot. She was right, Zuko couldn’t leave. The outside world was the domain of the war, of the _traitors_. He wouldn’t be safe, especially not with Druk with him, even if the master was really, _really_ small and would be super easy to hide. He was safe here, they all were, and he couldn’t be made to just, _leave_.

“Coza,” their mom said, trying to soothe, “please, try to understand. This is master Druk’s and consequently Zuko’s destiny. He has to leave, they both do.” Tonatiuh felt as if he surprised all the adults around them when _he_ , and not Coza, ran to Zuko first to hug him, but he didn’t care for them; even if his sister was closer, Zuko was still _his_ friend too! He finally let his tears fall then, when Coza joined them not long after, and then the rest of the children were there and so were the adults and it was just one big community embrace at that point. Zuko himself had begun crying long ago.

“I promise you all I’ll be safe,” he said, his voice not as steady as it could be.

“You _better_ be!” Coza muffled out from where she was holding onto Zuko, with a grip that looked as if it would never relent, her weeps evident in her words.

“You’ll come back though, right?” Tonatiuh piped up with still teary eyes. “For the solstices? This isn’t for forever, right?” Tonatiuh would have felt somewhat embarrassed about asking for reassurance from someone younger than him, especially so desperately, but the news had just been so... world shattering, like things could never be the same again. Zuko tightened his own hold on him. 

“Of course. I promise.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

In just a single veintena, Zuko’s life had been turned completely upside down... twice! First for the incredible better, when their new master Druk had hatched, but then for the... he wasn’t sure. Because it hurt, it really did, when he was told he had to leave his home for the first time, to train Druk ( _‘How am I supposed to do that?!’_ ), and just the thought of it was terrifying and then Coza was _crying and he didn’t want to do this!_ Dad had tried to comfort them all when he said he would _obviously_ be back for the solstices, but it hadn’t been enough because Coza was still _crying_ , but then Tonatiuh had hugged him and then Coza and everyone else joined in after her, too. It had been overwhelming and suffocating and the best thing Zuko had ever experienced. Even Druk had been with him, still the perfect imitation of a scarf.

He had managed to smile again, even if it was wobbly, when Dad said that he would be going with _Uncle Iroh_. He would be with Uncle Iroh! On a ship! Zuko had never been on a ship before... and now that he was, he couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. It was just so _slow_! Or maybe that was just because of how old and unkempt the “Wani” (what a weird name) was. At least being able to watch La from above, on the... weird, pointy, open area... thingy, was nice. Calling it the weird, pointy, open area thingy was just a mouth full though.

“We call them ‘decks’,” the man with the sick sideburns (Lieutenant Lee? Dee? Uh... Jee! That was his name!) answered when he asked, not even questioning Zuko’s ignorance. From what Zuko could gather so far on his first day on the vessel, the crew were generally ones to not ask questions of their own but answer _his_ with ease. They hadn’t even asked who he was when he came strolling in with his uncle. Even if the Wani was less than impressive, Zuko definitely appreciated its crew just for that. Uncle Iroh said they were completely loyal to him, so Zuko knew he could trust them, though he hadn’t shown Druk to them, and wouldn’t any time soon. He wasn’t _that_ hopeful of them! The crew would still have to earn Zuko’s full trust themselves.

Zuko was kind of doubtful that would happen sooner rather than later. He wouldn’t be spending all that long with the Fire Nation crew, as they were simply going to drop him off at Earth Kingdom borders, Uncle Iroh had told him. Besides, he would not be confiding in anyone, Fire Nation or not, all that easily in the foreseeable future. _“You are the first ever Sun Warrior to leave our home since the last coming of Mitotiani Citlalin,”_ Dad had said. _“Be very careful,”_ he had said, and Zuko would not let him down. No, Zuko would absolutely not be letting his guard down anytime soon.

Druk seemed to have a different idea, though, because he released a little puff of smoke then, which escaped through Zuko’s disgustingly Fire Nation shirt (he couldn’t wait to switch to Earth Kingdom green). He discreetly looked around and let out a breath of relief that no one had been around to witness what his master and/or pupil(?) had just done. He looked down under his shirt with a small glare, which immediately melted away when he looked at Druk, his large golden orbs curiously staring up at him. He really was adorable.

“Don’t do that!” he said, but he couldn’t manage to make the words stern, so he just laughed lightly. Druk blinked at him, hopefully in understanding. Zuko couldn’t help but smile at him. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah, I'm so sorry this chapter took so long, writer's block was a complete bitch! And, yes, I did make Druk yellow instead of his canon red because I thought it would suit him better. I think. He *is* red in canon, right? I only know of him from fanfics, I haven't actually watched LoK seasons 3-4 ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> I named the original firebending dance I made up "Cenui", as cenui means "falling together" in Nahuatl and that's kinda the whole gimmick. "Veintena" is the name of the periods of the Xiuhpōhualli calendar (think of them as "months") and this word is actually Spanish and *not* Nahuatl, because the original Nahuatl word has unfortunately been lost. And "Mitotiani Citlalin"?... Well, you're gonna have to wait for that one ;) (God I hope I didn't screw up that translation too badly...)


	6. The Blind Runaway

Lieutenant Jee, pseudo captain of the Wani, had been witness to many extraordinary things throughout his already too long and rather shameful life; spirit lights, supposed hauntings and possessions, and an incident that, still to this day he was certain, truly _had been_ an actual possession. Yet none of those things could even hold a candle to the kid currently balancing on the railings of the Wani, seemingly unaware, or maybe just uncaring, of the approximately fifty metre long drop into the ocean. Jee didn’t say a thing, none of the crew did, they didn’t dare, but spirits the kid was just _weird_.

When the titular Fire Prince had finally come back from his twenty three day long journey ( _“What is he even doing out there?”_ he recalled Helmsman Tomoe inquiring), the kid had just... sauntered along with him, as if he had always accompanied the retired general and the crew just hadn’t noticed him before. And then Prince Iroh tasked them with taking the boy to the Earth Kingdom... Why? _Who knew_ , Jee certainly didn’t! 

He was even dressed in royal silk, clearly provided to him by the Prince... and yet he, Jee assumed, chose to walk _barefoot_? He hadn’t known what a “deck” or a “catapult” was, either, and Jee couldn’t help but wonder what other mundane, every day concepts the kid was somehow ignorant of. (Though, perhaps Jee was just projecting and today’s youth were simply _that_ uneducated. Jee desperately hoped not.) He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that he was with _the Dragon of the West_ , as well, for he would make casual and sometimes even somewhat disrespectful conversation with the Prince, as if the man was neither literal royalty nor powerful enough to burn the kid to ashes; not that Jee believed he ever would, but still. He called him _“Uncle Iroh” for spirits’ sake!_

What Jee and the rest of the crew truly couldn’t comprehend though, was the fact that the Prince himself seemed not only fine with it all, but actually completely comfortable, like he was perfectly used to this, calling the boy his “nephew” and everything. At the crews bewildered stares the first time _that_ had happened, he had simply said _“What else would you call someone who calls you Uncle?”_... Just who _was_ this kid?!

“Good morning?” he greeted the kid, his voice not as sure as he would have liked it to be. “You’re up early.” Jee realized too late what a monumental mistake that had been when alarmingly gold eyes all of a sudden locked with his own. Jee barely managed to stop himself from taking a step back, because dear Agni that was freaky.

“Huh? No I’m not,” he said as he easily sat down in the lotus position... still balanced on the railings. How was he even doing that?

“Uh… kid, the sun’s barely risen in the sky,” Jee tried to reason, even if he doubted it would be all that effective in convincing this random kid on his ship (who Jee now believed definitely had a death wish).

“Firebenders rise with the sun,” the boy said, as if it was completely obvious, and he raised a single eyebrow at Jee’s nervous shifting. “What? We do!” he asserted, having the audacity to look baffled. He tilted his head to the side in disbelief when Jee remained silent. “You _seriously_ don’t do that?!” he asked incredulously.

“No…? Nobody I know really does that as far as I’m aware.” The look that the kid gave him, Jee could only describe as horrified. Jee didn’t think he had said anything all that offensive. He wondered then if this boy would ever make sense to him.

“Well, that’s not how it’s supposed to be,” he said with a furious shake of his head. “You should all probably get that checked out soon, ‘cus I’m pretty sure something must be wrong,” the kid stated matter-of-factly. There were many things Jee could’ve, and maybe should’ve, responded to that with, but he hadn’t been able to simply because of how off-putting this bizarre development in conversation was. _‘Who even says something like that so bluntly?’_ he thought. Why was this so important to the kid, anyways? 

After, well, whatever that was, the conversation between them died down and an awkward mood set in. An uncomfortably awkward mood... The kid himself, unsurprisingly at this point, didn’t seem to be all that aware of it, seeing as he just looked up to watch the sky after a while, completely ignoring Jee who... was still there, just standing. This was _not_ what Jee had wanted! 

“Um-” he tried to begin, if only to end the silence, “so uh- you say that you’re a- a firebender?” The kid gave him a toothy grin that squished his eyes shut, then, and lit a fire over his right palm and no! Nope. Yeah, okay! The kid had _rainbow fire_. He actually did step back at that. Lieutenant Jee, dishonored crew member of the Wani, had somehow managed to find himself in the middle of some sort of spirit tale, because that was the only explanation he could possibly come up with for... _this_. All of this! Great, just great. By Agni, how had his life even come to this?! 

Well, at the very least, he knew now not to _ever_ mess with this kid. That was good, he supposed. He excused himself as fast as humanly possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko had always known that the Fire Nation wasn’t really in a good place when it came to their inner flames, what with starting a _war_ and all, but only now, having met and talked with others that weren’t either Uncle Iroh or Master Piandao (who wasn’t even a bender), did he realize just _how_ bad it actually was. _‘I mean, how can they not wake up with Agni?!’_ he thought, somewhat hysterically. That had literally been the first thing Dad had taught him about being a firebender, way before he had even gotten his flames; that they woke up with Agni’s first rays and that it would be perfectly normal for him to not be able to get proper sleep the first few nights after his fire was let out. Even their non-bending warriors would rise with the sun. The fact that the Sun Warriors’ sibling culture apparently didn’t uphold this sacred practice with as much care as they did... that couldn’t possibly be healthy for them, right? 

He still wasn’t entirely convinced that this wasn’t some sort of terrible practical joke Uncle Iroh was playing on him, either. After all, _he_ woke up with Agni too, Zuko knew from the times he would come visit them, and also because he hadn’t heard his uncle’s snores when he had gotten out of bed just a few hours ago. 

But, now that he thought about it, Uncle Iroh was a really powerful bender, plus he was one of only two Fire Nation who had been taught fire’s true meaning directly by their masters in well over a century. Maybe _that’s_ why he had an acceptable sleeping schedule. If that was the case, then he just hoped that the Fire Nation could manage to relearn the meaning of fire soon. For their sake. Which was an odd thought; to want the traitors to better themselves, not for the rest of the world, but for their own good. 

In Zuko’s defense, his talk with Jee truly had been shocking to him, and, for the first time ever, Zuko actually felt _pity_ for the Fire Nation, the same way Uncle Iroh seemed to. Especially when Jee had asked to see his fire, only to step back in honest to spirits fear after Zuko had obliged. Why, Zuko still didn’t understand completely. His fire belonged to the dragons, meaning it was the one type of fire in the mortal world that could be made to soothe without also having to burn. That should have been reassuring to the man (it certainly was to his family, Uncle Iroh and Master Piandao included), and yet...

It seemed that the Fire Nation was much more disconnected from its roots than the warriors had thought, even with Uncle Iroh and Master Piandao to inform them. Zuko didn’t know how to feel about that. He didn’t know what to think of the traitors anymore, very specifically of the crew of the Wani, and even more particularly of Lieutenant Jee. Zuko didn’t want Jee to be afraid, and he certainly didn’t want the man to be afraid of _him_ , but he very clearly was. He had looked like the only thing that he could see in Zuko’s fire was its power. He recalled, then, how Uncle Iroh had explained that firebending in the Fire Nation was taught to be used solely as a _weapon_. It had been one thing to be told that, but to actually be able to observe the obvious ramifications of such a belief... ugh, it was all just so wrong!

Zuko’s hand flew to his shirt, in a now already established and familiar nervous tick, to pet Druk over the thin fabric. The tiny dragon was long enough to fully wrap himself around Zuko’s torso even as a newborn, and this had quickly become his favourite position to be in, so much so that he could even fall asleep like that apparently, for Zuko felt a slight startle and heard a little whine then. He chuckled at his master’s antics. Even with Druk waking up to Agni along with him, he _was_ very much still a baby, he reasoned, and would probably be doing that a lot. Zuko was just glad that Druk felt safe enough with him to do such things.

His nerves somewhat calmed down thanks to Druk, Zuko got off the railings he had been balancing on for... huh, how long had he been doing that? Like, ten minutes? Half an hour, maybe- He didn’t have the time to arrive to a conclusion, because he turned around, then, and saw it. The port, there it was, just over the horizon! They had traveled all the way from his home to the Earth Kingdom in just a couple days or so. Maybe the Wani wasn’t that slow after all...

He heard steady footsteps coming towards him and immediately knew it was Uncle Iroh behind him, for the crew never really approached him on their own. Well, Jee had but... yeah. His uncle joined him in watching the nearing port, then.

“Good morning Nephew,” he greeted, “it would seem that we have almost reached your destination. And how have you found your very first ship ride to be?”

“It was- okay, I guess. Quicker than I expected.”

“Well I’m glad. Now, before you depart, won’t you join me for a cup of Jasmine tea and a nice, relaxing game of Pai Sho?” Zuko didn’t really have a soft spot for hot leaf juice, he very much preferred xocolatl, and he would also rather dance then move a bunch of stones around on a table like an idiot. But he also couldn’t refuse Uncle Iroh, not when the man was looking at him with those expectant eyes, a soft smile on his face. He’d just have to grin and bear it, then.

“Sure.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“You are getting better, Nephew. Perhaps you’ll manage to beat me next time,” Iroh said and Zuko groaned at it.

“No, I won’t. You’re too good!” he exclaimed as he bumped his head on the table in defeat. _‘I also don’t really care.’_ was left unsaid. Though Iroh could make out that he wasn’t actually all that interested, his nephew really was a decent actor, Iroh would give him that. Tizoc had done a truly amazing job at teaching the boy how to hide and camouflage his motives. (He’d definitely need it, too, considering how awful of a liar he was.) Iroh was just a disgustingly perceptive man.

Even still, though his nephew was mostly unenthused, he chose to join him anyways. He truly did appreciate Zuko for that, even if it stung a little that their interests and likes were so clashing. Iroh, for one, would never understand how his nephew could ever prefer that bitter bean water over a delicious cup of tea.

He was just getting ready to start a brand new game, when someone let out a “Sir!” and he stared up to find Lieutenant Jee... giving his nephew a nervous look. Well then, he would absolutely have to question Jee for that. 

“Your highness, we have arrived and are ready to dock the Wani,” said man spoke with a bow. His questioning would have to wait for later, then.

“Thank you for informing us, Lieutenant. Zuko and I will be coming on deck momentarily.” Jee bowed again and took his leave. After he was out the door (closing it behind him too), his nephew spoke up.

“It’s so weird, seeing people have so much respect for you... Not that they shouldn’t respect you! It’s just- well, their respect is more- like, I don’t know,” he admitted, trailing off.

“Like they fear me?” Iroh offered.

“Yes! Exactly that. Like they’re constantly scared of you,” Zuko fell silent for a moment, before adding, “Jee’s scared of me too. He backed away when I showed him my fire.” Oh, so that’s what this was about. Well, at least he didn’t have to question anybody now, but it seemed that he still had work to do. He truly believed in the Wani’s crew, and he couldn’t allow for their judgement to be clouded by fear and propaganda before he had even begun to try convincing them of their nation’s guilt. He would have to set Jee straight that Zuko would never harm anyone unprovoked or with intentions of malice. His nephew was the first ever Sun Warrior the crew had met in their lives, even if they weren’t aware of that yet, and Iroh wouldn’t let them hate or scapegoat the warriors later on, when the time came to show them all what fire really was.

“And you are aware why he acted the way he did?”

“Yeah, yeah, because the Fire Nation sucks at firebending,” his nephew said dismissively, “no offense.”

“None taken.”

“Still though,” Zuko continued, “I can’t help but feel- well, dehumanized at it. He looked at me like- like I was nothing more than- a weapon! A dangerous one at that…”

“But you do know that you’re not?” he asked seriously.

“Of course, I do. It still hurt.” His nephew definitely sounded the part too.

“And you are completely justified in feeling that way. Just remember that so is Jee, for he has been conditioned to fear fire the moment Agni allowed for him to wield it. The more impressive the fire, the scarier it is to him. But, that is why I’m here, to try and help him, along with the rest of this crew.” Zuko’s hand went to his chest to pet the little dragon no doubt currently nestled under his shirt, and he met Iroh with a small smile.

“Thank you, Uncle.” Iroh gave him a smile of his own.

“Now then, we should probably get up,” he said casually as he added, “it would do good to change into Earth Kingdom garments as well, Nephew.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

It was actually happening. The reality had only sunk in now, as he was hugging his uncle goodbye, on the planks of an Earth Kingdom port, wearing Earth Kingdom clothing and sporting a traditional Earth Kingdom braid instead of the Phoenix tail he was used to. (He had refused to wear the shoes, though, he wasn’t _that_ far gone!) He had left home. Zuko had left his home, and now he was leaving Uncle Iroh too, to train one of the last remaining original firebending masters, no less. He was actually going to do this. He didn’t even know what it was that he was supposed to be doing! He just knew that he was leaving in order to do it.

“Now Nephew,” Uncle Iroh began as he pulled away, “remember, should you ever find yourself needing to restock supplies, or wanting to socialize with Earth Kingdom citizens, head to Gaoling, just north of here. The town is isolated and has been unscathed by the Hundred Year War. I doubt the people there are even aware of the Dragon Hunts, so it could even be a safe place for Druk,” he continued, saying the last part in a hushed voice. Oh yeah, he was mostly going to be living out as a hermit now. Right. At least he could safely head to this “Gaoling” place, if nothing else.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.” They both fell silent, but only for a second.

“I’m truly proud of you Zuko, and I know that you will make a great teacher. I love you, Nephew.” He hugged his uncle again.

“I love you, too.” This time, it was Zuko who pulled away. “Goodbye, Uncle Iroh. I’ll miss you,” he said, before adding in a whisper, “we both will.” His uncle let out a hearty chuckled at that.

“Well, I’m glad. I’ll miss you, too. We’ll see one another for the coming summer solstice. Until then, take care of yourself.” They smiled at each other for one last time before Zuko turned around and started walking north, towards the woods, and, incidentally, towards Gaoling. He still couldn’t help but turn back when he reached the very edge of the trees, to wave one final goodbye to his uncle, which he returned. Satisfied, Zuko fully walked into the forest to begin his search.

When he was able to find an appropriate location, a small natural cove, by a river surrounded by trees, that he felt could adequately hide both himself and Druk, he set up the Earth Kingdom tent his uncle had provided him with, just the way Nana Tozi had taught, too!... He faltered slightly at the thought of her, because spirits he missed her already, he missed all of them! Ugh, why did he even have to do this?! A tiny yellow head poked out from under his green shirt, then. Oh right, that’s why. He was supposed to teach Druk.

“But how am I going to do that?” he asked the dragon, who just tilted his head to the side. “Of course you wouldn’t know. Obviously! That’s why we’re here.” He unentangled Druk from around himself, pulling him out from under his shirt, and, at that, the dragon wrapped around his arm instead. He sat down on the ground in the lotus position, facing the stream. He couldn’t help but examine the baby dragon in his grasp.

Druk hadn’t really noticeably grown much in his few weeks of life, and with the Sun Warriors assuming, based off of certain stories, that dragons physically matured in speeds similar to that of humans, he wouldn’t become all that bigger any time soon. His wings definitely looked stronger, however, no longer wrinkled and hunched over. Zuko had even caught the dragon flapping them a couple of times, which could only mean that Druk would learn to fly on his own! Hopefully... 

“Okay then,” he said, snapping himself from his reverie, “let’s start with the basics, I guess.” He lit a tiny flame over the hand that wasn’t being held hostage by Druk. “For us humans, Agni has to let our flames go before we can firebend, but you’re a dragon, uh- as you can probably see, so you won’t really have that problem,” he tried his best to explain. “Now try to summon your inner flame,” he continued, bringing the colourful flame ever so slightly closer to Druk. The dragon just happily trilled at him, completely ignoring the fire, clearly uncomprehending of everything. 

“Okay,” he drawled as he extinguished the flame and waved his free hand in front of Druk, “just look here.” When he was sure the dragon’s attention was actually on his hand, he relit the flame as he said “Try to make a little fire, just like this.” Druk straightened a little then, and Zuko did the same, because this looked somewhat promising- He sneezed, putting out the fire as only a minuscule strand of smoke escaped his mouth.

“UGH!” Zuko couldn’t help but exclaim, only realizing his mistake when Druk let out a little cry of panic. His head immediately snapped back to the dragon as he hurriedly said “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s okay. I’m not mad, I swear. I just...,” he sighed, “I don’t know what I’m _doing_!” he admitted as he plopped down on the ground, already feeling defeated. At least Druk seemed to forgive him for his outburst, wrapping around his neck in, what Zuko assumed to be, an attempt to comfort him.

Zuko himself was just so confused and conflicted. _‘Just how am I supposed to teach an original master, anyways?’_... Wait.

“That’s it!” he yelled suddenly as he sat up straight again, petting Druk in apology when this startled the poor guy. “The _original_ masters!” 

There had been dragons for fire, obviously, but every other element had had masters before humans became benders, too. What better way to teach Druk what he was supposed to be then to provide an actual example. He thought to Ran and Shaw then, and briefly wondered if this had all been a waste of time, but quickly dismissed the idea. As great as the masters Ran and Shaw were, they were very much _spirits_ in physical form, and spirits only ever taught what was already there, simply hidden in plain sight. They wouldn’t have been able to teach Druk the things he didn’t, but still needed to, know, which quickly eliminated the moon as well. Waterbenders had been the only benders who had learned their element by observations alone, unlike benders of other elements, for it had been impossible for Tui to have had a sufficient enough physical and direct relationship with her children, even with legends claiming she had joined the mortal world along with La. Waterbenders had simply watched the water that was always there, and developed their _own_ bending system based off of it, which was probably why they were so versatile in the first place. Over all, though, clearly not the way to teach Druk. The sky bisons were also out of the question (thanks to the _traitors_ ), which left only one candidate... perhaps having to travel to the Earth Kingdom truly was destiny.

“Come on buddy, let’s go find ourselves some badger moles!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Somebody was walking. An actual _person_ was _walking_ and Toph had managed to make out that they were really human, that they were indeed moving and also how far away they were, which was not very far at all. Under normal circumstances, she would have been overjoyed at her achievement, but this was clearly not normal, because the person was coming towards the cave, towards _her_. It could only mean that her parents had somehow tracked her down. This person had to be a guard who had come to take her back.

But Toph didn’t _want_ to go back! She was finally free and really happy with her new friends. They cared for her, they taught her how to see without her really having to and they actually believed in her. She wasn’t helpless anymore, thanks to them. And she wasn’t afraid to prove that to this guard, either!

As the person came closer, though, Toph realized that she had... a surprisingly detailed sense of their _feet_. Did that mean they were barefoot? No servant of the Beifongs could ever keep their job doing _that_. Maybe they weren’t sent here by her parents, after all. But if that was the case, just what were they doing here? Toph planned to find out, anyways.

When the person finally reached the cave’s entrance, she destroyed the ground beneath them so that they would fall down further into the cave system. Except… they _didn’t_ fall. It was like they completely disappeared off the face of the Earth. Well, Toph supposed they technically did do that, because the logical explanation had to be that they jumped... but then they didn’t come back down? How?! This _definitely_ wasn’t a guard.

She was just going to come up to face them, when _they_ jumped down the chasm she had made themselves. Well then, whoever this person was, Toph already kind of liked them for their daring alone.

“HELLO?” they yelled out after they landed and, woah, they were a kid? Like her! She’d never met another kid before... She stepped toward him, and only then realized that some sort of animal was _wrapped_ around him. What kind of noodle of a creature could even do that?

“Oh,” he said when he saw her, “you- um, aren’t what I was expecting.” Oh come on, she hadn’t even said anything and the jerk was already judging her!

“And what’s _that_ supposed to mean!” she yelled, all too aggressively for a lady, but, _wow_ , was that satisfying.

“I mean, I came here for badger moles and besides, you just look so...” she felt him make a face and, nope, that was it, this kid was so DEAD-! “prim and proper, I guess? Not what I expected from an earthbender, honestly.” Oh.

“ _Oooh_ , you mean the dress!” she said as she held up the fabric in her hands, “Yeah, I hate it, too.” She really liked this kid now.

“Hey, that’s not how I meant that...!” he hurried to clarify, but then trailed off, “...but if you don’t like it, then, I guess, sure,” he shrugged. She liked him _a lot_. 

“So, how did you _do_ that?!” she asked in a rush, “Stay in the air for so long, I mean.”

“Oh, um- well,” he stuttered, clearly caught off guard, “you’re from Gaoling, right?” he asked and Toph was immediately suspicious again. But she was still so curious...

“Yeah?” she said, drawling out the word, “What does that have to do with anything?” The kid was quiet for a little bit before he sighed and then jumped into the air and, oh. That was fire. It was hot and roaring and definitely _fire_. He was keeping himself airborne via his fire. The kid was a firebender. Sweet!

“Yeah- uh, that’s how...” he said after he smoothly landed back down.

“That... was awesome. I didn’t know firebenders could even do that!” 

“Well, most can’t actually. Majority of the Fire Nation can’t anyways.” That last part he obviously hadn’t meant for her to hear, but she did anyway, being blind and all.

“You say that like _you’re_ not Fire Nation, Sparky,” she said with a smirk, which only grew when the kid began stammering. Ah, like music to her ears! “Why were you looking for badger moles, anyhow? Just who are you? Also, what’s that around your torso?” she asked, very purposefully bombarding the kid. She supposed he didn’t really deserve it, but messing with people was just too much fun.

“Like I’d tell you!” he said defiantly as he covered the hidden animal with his arms, “It’s secret- HEY!” The animal got out from under his shirt, and then... it was gone? Wait, no, it was flying. Towards her, she realized, when the creature landed neatly on her shoulder.

“Well Sparky, it looks like secret over here has a different idea!” she said smugly. 

“I- but, ugh,” he sighed, “ fine! I’ll tell you,” he said in defeat. “Hello, my name is Zuko, and that useless reptile perched on your shoulder is Druk. We were looking for the original earthbending masters to help in Druk’s training.” ...He called that an explanation?! That just raised so many more questions!

“You’re training the _reptile_? Why? What exactly _is_ he anyways? Why do you need _badger moles_? Couldn’t you have just done this ‘training’ in the Fire Nation? Why did you say Fire Nation _like_ that-?”

“Okay, enough! Just, listen- I,” he huffed, then sighed again and mumbled, “if Master Druk can trust her...” _Master?!_ She “looked” over at the animal despite herself, because what?

“Do you know what dragons are?” he asked suddenly, but slowly and strangely severely.

“The original firebending masters...? Oh.” Druk was a _dragon_. Okay then, the kid wasn’t all that mad, after all. Shame, it would have been quite fun.

“And do you know what happened to them?” he asked in the same tone as he did the previous question.

“Uh... nothing?” she answered, unsure of herself for the first time. Zuko was silent for a long while.

“Long before the Hundred Year War began, Fire Lord Sozin started the Dragon Hunts, promising glory and riches to any firebender capable of our masters’ murders, and he committed the very first one, too, by killing his own companion. Only three known dragons remain, two of them spirits in the mortal world.” Toph... was speechless. She was actually completely speechless. She had always known that the Fire Nation was cruel, but _this_? It was, just, _unthinkable_! She tried to say something to console them, both Zuko and Druk, but she just couldn’t. What do you even say to something like this? _‘I’m sorry.’_?!

“By the time Master Druk hatched, just a few weeks ago, actually, every single record of the dragons that could have been useful in raising him had been _destroyed_ by the traitors. Our two other masters had chosen me years before as Druk’s teacher, and so, here we are... I don’t know what I’m doing, and I was hoping that seeing other original masters could maybe help,” he finished in a resigned voice.

“’Traitors’?” Toph finally managed to say after awhile.

“The Fire Nation,” the other said.

“So wait, if the traitors are the Fire Nation, then you...” she trailed off, but her question was obvious. She felt an interesting sensation then, one she had never felt before. It was a sort of... spike in a rhythm? She didn’t know how to explain it. Wait, had that been Zuko’s heartbeat? She could feel heartbeats?! She’d never noticed before... Did this mean Zuko would refuse? 

“I am not Fire Nation,” he said firmly. So he _was_ going to speak up. Good. “My people are the predecessors and sibling culture of the traitors: the Sun Warriors.” Huh?

“Never heard of them.”

“Well, yeah, that’s kind of the whole point. We’ve been in hiding since the start of the war.” Oh. That made sense. “Plus Sozin sort of erased almost our entire existence from history when he started the Hundred Year War, and now the Fire Nation thinks that we’ve been extinct for thousands of years,” Zuko added as an afterthought.

“Jeez, was this Sozin guy ever good for anything!” Toph exclaimed in exasperation.

“Not really, no,” he said bluntly, which Toph could appreciate. The two of them were silent for awhile, before Toph flashed him a smile.

“Well Sparky, if badger moles are what you’re looking for, then you’re in luck! Come on, I can take you to a whole family of them. I’m Toph, by the way.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko hadn’t meant to reveal so much (practically everything!) to some random earthbending kid he met in a cave, really, he hadn’t, but this girl, Toph, she was just so easy going and open... 

Well, it was partially Druk’s fault too. The little idiot was still hung over the girl’s shoulder as she led them deeper into the cave. At least Druk could fly now, even if he had been a bit uncertain. (It had been Druk’s first time back there, Zuko was sure he would get better with time.) Besides, he actually felt pretty confident in trusting this kid. He wouldn’t call Toph harmless, he wasn’t that oblivious, but she didn’t seem like the type that would act out in malice, either. She had seemed pretty disgusted with the traitors and sympathetic towards him and Druk as well, so she was very obviously on their side. Zuko was cut off from his musings when Toph stopped walking and stomped one foot down on the cave floor, hard enough to _shake the ground_. Yep, definitely not harmless.

“Okay, they’re on their way,” she said after a moment’s pause.

“How can you tell?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“You’ve noticed I’m blind, right?” she asked him herself, seemingly out of nowhere. He nodded with a hum despite his confusion. It had been quite obvious, really, especially when she hadn’t commented on his fire. “Well, so are badger moles, actually, and we’re both earthbenders too. I- um,” she paused, which struck him as odd, because Toph was a very self assured person, he could already tell by now, “my parents think I’m helpless and weak, and that I need protecting. They wouldn’t allow me outside, so I ran away from home and hid here. That’s when the badger moles found me. They taught me to see with my feet through the earth, the same way they do. That’s how I can tell. I still haven’t come up with a good name for it, though,” she finished explaining with a shrug. Zuko felt his face go red with anger.

“That’s horrible!” he said in indignation, “They think you’re useless because you’re blind?! Maybe _they_ should open their own eyes, then. You’re brilliant!” It was obvious as Agni himself that Toph was a talented and powerful bender, even with her having performed very little earthbending in front of him so far. Besides, even if she hadn’t been, so what? Her parents still would have had no right to stifle their own daughter like this! Zuko couldn’t possibly imagine his own dad undermining him in such a way.

The face splitting smile of absolute joy Toph gave him could have moved mountains all on its own. Zuko couldn’t help but think she looked like another little girl- the walls began to rumble before Zuko could finish _that_ painful thought (thank spirits) and then the wall to their right practically _exploded_. Toph raised a pilar in front of them to protect them from the stray rocks that flew towards them. When she pulled down the barrier, there they were; two badger moles, and Zuko was sure more of them were behind the first two.

“Woah,” he let out in amazement, “they’re... _beautiful_.” They were large and proud, with eyes that must have carried a millennium of knowledge and wisdom. They were the perfect earthbending counterparts to the masters Ran and Shaw. Toph smiled at him again, clearly happy with herself, and Zuko found he could easily return it. She walked up to the earthbending masters, Druk still around her shoulders.

“Rocky and Muddy, Druk. Druk, Rocky and Muddy,” she introduced the original masters to one another, and Zuko couldn’t stop the snort that escaped him.

“Seriously? ‘Rocky’ and ‘Muddy’?”

“What? It fits them!” Toph said defensively.

“Fair point.”

Druk looked up at the badger moles who, blind as they were, smelled the tiny dragon instead. Neither party seemed to know what to think of the other, but none of them acted aggressively either. Druk flew off of Toph and back to Zuko when one of the badger moles (Muddy?) pulled back a bit, shaking the ground somewhat as it did so.

“So,” Toph began, “what exactly is your plan?” In all honesty, Zuko didn’t have a plan. He hadn’t, at least, but now that he had met Toph, he had an idea.

“Well, I’m supposed to teach Druk, right?” he rhetorically asked as he absentmindedly pet the dragon, “And Druk is supposed to be a firebending master, but I think the problem is, is that he hasn’t completely gotten the memo yet. If he watches Rocky and Muddy teaching you, maybe he’ll finally understand what _he_ is himself and also _why_ we’re here at all.”

“So, you just need an earthbending lesson?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

Toph grinned at him. “Oh, we could definitely do that! Right, guys?” The two earthbending masters gave grunts of what must have been agreement, because Toph took an earthbending stance and Zuko took that as his cue to stand far to the side, out of the way of the lesson. That turned out to be a very good idea when the first thing the masters did was surround Toph and then send _two gigantic boulders from both sides to crush her_. Toph remained unphased through it all as she destroyed both projectiles with a single hand each, not ever flinching in the slightest. The lesson only became more dangerous as it went on, with the badger moles summoning even more boulders, and eventually spikes and stalactites, to try and knock Toph off her feet he figured. The badger mole Zuko assumed to be Rocky even tried to _collapse the ceiling_ on top of Toph’s head once!... Okay, so they had some unconventional methods, but Toph seemed to be doing just fine, so whatever. Zuko needed to be dealing with his own master, anyhow.

“You see what they’re doing?” he said to Druk, who was miraculously not terrified from the scene before them, rather just watching it with a cautious curiosity. “They are _teaching_ a pupil as the original earthbending masters. That’s what I have to do; teach you how to use your inner flame so that you can fulfill your destiny as an original master, like them.” He was pleasantly surprised to see the little gleam in Druk’s eyes after he had explained. Maybe he _had_ finally gotten through to the dragon. “Now do what Toph is doing, and learn from me,” he said as he once again lit a tiny flame over his hand.

Druk looked at the small life and Zuko worried that it wouldn’t work, but then the dragon gathered his claws and- there it was. A tiny flicker of dragon’s fire, colourful and burning, clasped between Druk’s talons. Zuko smiled at him before firing off a small blast towards the ground, which Druk mimicked almost perfectly.

“You did it!” he praised the master with a grin. Druk happily nuzzled him in response.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko and Druk stayed with them in the cave, setting up camp just at its entrance. They stayed with Toph, and she couldn’t be happier. It really did feel like her life had turned around for the better. She had found badger moles, she had practically mastered her earthbending and now she had Zuko. Druk was cute and she liked him, too, but Zuko was an actual _person_ , somebody she could talk and socialize and just- have fun with! He was nice and caring too, but he didn’t treat her like she was lacking, either. He actually had confidence in her, and he wasn’t shy in admitting it, constantly reminding her that she really was capable. Now, Toph already knew that, she didn’t _need_ others to validate her (not like anyone ever had). Even still, though, it just felt so good; to have somebody truly believe in her.

Having Zuko around turned out to be really good for improving her “seismic sense”, as she called it now, as well. She had gotten so good at picking up on his heartbeat and bodily reactions in the few days that they had spent together, she thought that she could maybe even tell when someone was lying. Zuko had thought it made logical sense, too, but when they had tried to test this theory out, she hadn’t felt any difference when Zuko had claimed that the grass was purple (whatever purple was). They eventually came to the conclusion that there would only ever be a noticeable reaction when there was intent behind the lie, so of course Toph hadn’t been able to tell this time. She would just have to test it out on someone who was actually trying to lie.

She wasn’t the only one to get better at their bending, either. Toph, not being a firebender, obviously couldn’t know how good Druk was doing, but if Zuko’s nonstop praise was anything to go by, Druk must be doing pretty well. Or maybe that’s just how Zuko taught, in general, which was a bit boring, honestly. In any case, the little dragon was now really proficient at barfing up fire from his mouth. Good for him!

“You know you don’t have to stand so far away,” Zuko suddenly spoke up. He and Druk were currently having a lesson, one that she was listening in on (she could almost never feel Druk during them, he would always be flying).

“Listen Sparky, I get fire is life and home and whatever other deep mumbo jumbo your people believe in, but I would rather not get burned today. Thanks.” She heard flesh hitting flesh then, instead of the offended yell she had expected, and felt Zuko facepalm.

“Right, of course, you wouldn’t know. That one’s on me,” she felt him shaking his head, “here’s the thing Toph, dragon’s fire is not like any other flame that can be found in the mortal world. It’s easy to differentiate it from others because of its colours. Obviously you don’t care for any of that,” he quickly stated when she made a face at him, “but that’s not what makes it truly special, in the first place. See, dragon’s fire is the only one that can be made to not burn; if its bender doesn’t want it to, that is,” he explained. A fire that didn’t burn, but only sometimes? How would any of that even be possible?

“Hey, if you don’t believe me, you can check for yourself.” Did Zuko think she was crazy?! Well, apparently she was (she also actually really trusted him, along with Druk). She stepped towards where she assumed Druk was, still shooting fireballs here and there, and she stretched her hand out to one of those roaring flames. It was warm, and not much else really. It just passed through her hand, not hurting in the slightest nor leaving a single mark.

“Cool...” was all she could say.

“It’s pretty warm actually,” Zuko joked with an annoying grin.

“Sparky, that was horrible. Good job!” Toph felt his heart rate rise all of a sudden. It probably meant he was nervous, which was weird. Why would he be-

“Toph, can I show you something?” he asked, and Toph could very clearly feel him needlessly avoid her eyes.

“Sure thing.” He grabbed one of her hands in his own then, and she heard him firebend with his other hand and bring it closer- oh. Her hand was touching his fire. Toph’s hand was touching Zuko’s fire and she wasn’t burning. It wasn’t burning. 

“Zuko... _you_ have dragon’s fire?!” she screamed out. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner,” Zuko’s posture stiffened in obvious worry, but she continued before he could say anything, “we could do so much with this! Like, oh, I know, you could set me on fire and then I’d run around town terrorizing everybody!” Zuko immediately relaxed and started laughing his butt off.

“Toph, _where_ do you even come up with stuff like this?”

“Come on, it’d be awesome and you know it.”

“It _does_ sound fun, not gonna lie,” Zuko admitted and Toph punched the air in victory. Zuko called off the lesson and sat on the ground, Druk and Toph both quickly joining him. “So, what other totally well thought out ideas do you got up your sleeves, you chaotic brat,” he said teasingly. Toph smiled widely, because yes! She had so many of them and she had just opened her mouth to go off when- she felt it. Footsteps, people, coming towards the cave. And they were _not_ barefoot.

“They found me! _Hide_ ,” she ordered as she got up.

“ _What_? But what about the tent?” Zuko pointed out and Toph quickly earthbent around it, making sure that it would still be accessible later.

“There, now just go!” she said and at Zuko’s hesitation she firmly added “I’ll be fine. They’re my family...” After Zuko ran deeper into the cave, just enough to not be noticeable, Toph walked out of it herself.

She waited out for the five figures she could feel, and when they did reach her, she was quickly embraced by a person she was sure was her mom.

“Oh, my sweet Toph! It’s okay, everything is alright. You’re safe now.” Yep, definitely Mom.

Somebody she thought was Dad took her hand. “Come on, dear,” it was, “let’s take you back home.” _Take her_ back home. But she could go on her own...

“Mom, Dad, can I tell you something?”

“When we get home, sweetie,” Mom assured, “I promise I’ll listen.” She and Zuko had been right, but it felt bittersweet, now. Toph _could_ tell when people were lying. She had to give it her all to stop her tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~

For the richest family in all of Gaoling, the Beifong estate had been ridiculously easy to break into. Zuko hadn’t even had to knock out anybody, he had just scaled the walls and then hidden in a bush, simple as that. 

“Don’t worry buddy, we’ll find her,” he told Druk when the little dragon let out a quiet whine. Just as he said that, Zuko felt the ground beneath him warp in the most subtlest of ways. He had to give Toph credit for that; he hadn’t thought it possible for her to be subtle. “Or she’ll find us,” he shrugged before following the dirt path she was creating, his steps confident and completely lacking in caution. Soon enough, he reached an ornate door without trouble and quickly opened it to slide inside the room before shutting it closed again. No sooner had he done this than his ribs were crushed by tiny arms.

“You came for me!” Toph whisper shouted with joy.

“Of course we did. Now could you please let go, you’re about to kill me.” She did, thankfully, and stepped back a little as well. Zuko savoured his next few breaths. “Spirits, you really are like an earthbending Coza!” he couldn’t help but remark.

“Coza? Who’s that?”

“Oh, just a good friend from home. She’s kind of like a sister to me, actually,” he answered casually, trying to ignore the pang of hurt at the thought of her. He looked down his shirt then to check on Druk. “You okay buddy? No broken bones, right?” he asked with a laugh, and took the puff of smoke the dragon let out as an affirmative. He looked back at Toph, only to realize she had her head downcast.

“Hey, are you okay?” he questioned, and then quickly ran to Toph’s side when she looked up with teary eyes. “What’s wrong?” 

“Do you really think of me like that?” she asked hesitantly, and yet oddly hopefully. 

“Do I think of you like what?”

“As a friend, or a- a sister...?” Something Toph had told him back at the cave came to mind then.

 _“I’ve never had a real friend.”_ Oh. Oh no. He hugged his friend with almost as much force as she had him.

“Yes, of course I do. Don’t you ever doubt that, okay.” He tightened his hold on her when Toph hugged him back with a sniffle.

After that day, Zuko spent as much time as possible with Toph, what with still having to train Druk. It would always be tiring, having to walk from the cave to the estate then back again, but so worth it, especially when Toph would flash him one of her smiles each time he showed up. It wasn’t at all hard to meet up with her in the Beifong estate, either, not with Toph’s seismic sense and the generally incompetent guards. They could even easily walk together in the gardens without anybody discovering Zuko, such as how they currently were.

“You know, I can feel people under the town,” Toph spoke up after a long debate on the merits of sandbending as a sub class of earthbending ended in silence.

“Really?”

“Yeah, there’s like, this giant hole under the ground and there are a few people here and there, just walking around,” Toph paused for a moment, adjusting her feet to better feel, “I think they’re cleaning or something.”

“Huh, that’s weird. You want me to try and figure it out for you? I’m sure somebody in town would know what that’s about,” Zuko asked with a grin, catching on to what Toph was requesting.

“Yes, please.”

And that’s how Zuko ended up having to purchase a common Earth Kingdom outfit for Toph to wrestle supposed earthbending masters in.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a tournament, an earthbending tournament, in fact: Earth Rumble III. What she had felt was an arena where people, most of them probably adult men, were going to be throwing rocks at one another, and Toph was going, too. She was going to an underground tournament to beat up a bunch of people, and she couldn’t be happier. 

Zuko had even bought her actual clothing for fighting and, honestly, its rough texture was such a welcome change from the all too soft silks she was used to. She turned to the best thing to ever happen to her as she put on the headband he got for her to ask him:

“How do I look?” Zuko paused for a moment, pretending to think.

“Hm, adorable.”

“ _Hey_!” she protested with a pout, which deepened when he began to laugh. Jerk.

“Oh come on, Toph, don’t you want to humiliate grown men by defeating them as a cute little kid?” Zuko reasoned with a smirk in his voice and a hand on Toph’s shoulder. Well, when she thought of it like that…

“You bet I do!” she exclaimed with a grin of her own. He really did know her.

“What are we waiting for, then? Come on,” he said and they practically raced to the tournament, separating when they entered the arena, Zuko heading to the stands and Toph to her designated waiting room.

“I would say good luck, but you don’t really need it. I’ll be at the front rows, so- see ya!” 

“Really, Sparky, the front rows? You’re gonna get yourself pummeled up there.”

“Seriously, Toph? Have a bit of faith in me!” That made Toph snort.

“Whatever, just keep Druk alive,” she said dismissively as she quickly ran to avoid the earful she would have no doubt received had she stayed.

As she waited for her turn in her, well, waiting room, she scoffed at what she could feel with her feet. “Earthbending masters”? Oh please, these chumps could barely lift a boulder half their size. She couldn’t wait to show them what _real_ earthbending looked like! So when she was finally called, she walked with a bounce to her steps. Even when the cheers of the crowd completely died down in shock she didn’t falter. They were all silent, even Zuko, but she could actually feel him smiling encouragingly, so it didn’t matter. The rock flying toward her head didn’t either, as she easily caught it with one hand and swiftly sent it back to her opponent, knocking him out. The gasps that all exploded around her and Zuko’s little whoop were the most satisfying things to hear as her next victim walked to the arena, now infinitely more hesitant. 

After the wipe out that was Earth Rumble III, Toph was the unsurprising winner, and as soon as she was declared as such and given her belt and money, she ran off the arena and towards the exit, where she and Zuko had decided to meet up before hand.

“You were incredible!” Zuko complimented in place of a greeting.

“Like always?” she asked with a grin.

“Like always,” he responded with a clear roll of his eyes that Toph didn't have to see to know, “good job,” he said with an open smile, which she found she could easily return. It truly was the best feeling; having somebody believe in her, having a friend, a- brother?... It was nice.

So, when Zuko and Druk had to leave for the summer solstice a few months later, it really did feel as if her life was falling apart. She tried not to be bitter, though, because Zuko had his own family, and from what he had told her, the solstices were very sacred and important times for them. She couldn’t be so selfish as to wish he ignore everybody else he cared for for her sake. He still had to train Druk, too, and the badger moles could only teach so much... But, it was okay, because Zuko had promised that they would return come next spring. She would see them both again. She would see Zuko again.

He hadn’t been lying, either, and Toph couldn’t help but smile at the memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo boy, this chapter was a doozy.
> 
> Xocolatl is a drink made from cocoa beans that is actually not specifically Aztec. From what I could gather, it started off as a traditionally Mayan drink, which was later incorporated into Aztec culture. The Mayans drank xocolatl like how people drink morning coffees today, but for the Aztecs, it was a delicacy that only the super rich could ever enjoy. So in this case, the mentions of xocolatl are more inspired from the Mayans rather than the Aztecs. Also, xocolatl translates to "bitter water". It's literally just bitter bean water. Here's a recipe for anyone curious!
> 
> https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/216166/xocolatl-aztec-chocolate/


	7. The Destroyed Library

When Guru Pathik had woken up one fall morning, he hadn’t expected to see storm clouds in the sky, nor the kid in Earth Kingdom clothes, crouched down next to a once still stream, now opened by the visitor and freely running. As a truly enlightened man, Pathik was privy to many parts of the future from the visions that the universe would grant him, and yet, he had never once seen a thing to clue him on this child’s arrival. When Pathik looked up at the soon to darken heavens once again, he was glad that his residence could provide the child with much needed shelter.

“Hello.” Perhaps it had been a somewhat foolish idea to startle the child, Pathik realized, when sharp dual dao found his throat, but really, what else was he meant to do as introduction. He wasn’t in any real danger, anyhow. As quick as he had been in unsheathing his weapons, the child drew them back with wide, golden eyes once he got a single look at Pathik.

“Oh spirits, I- ugh, I’m so sorry!” the child stammered out in a panic.

“It is alright child, none can blame you for being vigilant in such times, least of all myself. I should have perhaps been more considerate in my greeting. I am Guru Pathik, and may I ask your own name?” The child’s eyes widened again, this time in disbelief.

“Wait, you’re a _guru_?” he asked in amazement, completely ignoring Pathik’s own question. “And you live here, in the _Eastern Air Temple_?! Are you...?” The sheer hope in the child’s voice was harrowing to Pathik, and he allowed his face to drop.

“No, child, I am not an Air Nomad, but rather a spiritual brother of them from the Earth Kingdom; someone who has taken their teachings to heart when life had been cruel.” To Pathik’s great relief, the child’s face didn’t fall like his had, but brightened instead.

“That’s- amazing! Even after all this time, you’re working to make sure that the Nomads’ culture stays alive. That’s... so noble of you,” he said with reverence in his voice, and Pathik couldn’t help the smile that returned to his face.

“Well now, of course I do this for my siblings of air, but this is simply my way of life as well. It has been for the last hundred and twenty years.” The child’s mouth fell open at that.

“You’re _that_ old?” he said with zero tact, but it wasn’t as if Pathik was offended either.

“I’m a hundred and forty eight, to be exact,” he answered with an easy grin.

“Wow,” the child let out, “...but, if you were alive nearly fifty years before the war, then...” he trailed off, before seemingly making up his mind on something and looking right at Pathik. “My name is Zuko, son of Tizoc, current chief of the Sun Warriors.” It was Pathik’s turn to be shocked.

“You-!” he tried to speak, but coherence had escaped him. Zuko perked up.

“So you _do_ know of us!” Of course Pathik knew; the Sun Warriors were the spiritual sibling culture of the Air Nomads, how could he _not_ know. But... he had not heard from them for as long as he had been enlightened, nobody had, not even the Nomads, in fact... nobody outside the Fire Nation had, at least. Could Sozin really have been so cruel, as to practically eradicate the world’s knowledge of the warriors’ existence? Pathik wondered if the Fire Nation itself even knew of them anymore. But, he quickly shook away his questions, as the child, _the Sun Warrior_ , spoke again, not to him this time, however.

“Druk! It’s okay, you can come out. We’re safe here,” he assured and then a long, serpentine creature shot out from under his shirt and suddenly there was a tiny _dragon_ flying above Pathik’s head.

“An original firebending master...! They- they really are still alive,” he said in wonder as he stared at the golden ribbon in the air. The child’s smile did fall this time.

“He’s one of only three alive, that we know of. The other two are the masters Ran and Shaw.” and those two were spirits, Pathik finished the sentence in his head.

“Oh child, I’m so sorry.” he tried to comfort. The war truly had and still did hurt everybody. “Here, why don’t you join me for a bowl of onion-banana juice.” Zuko looked at him again, and even if he wasn’t completely cheered up, he did look intrigued.

“Bananas? Huh, never had one before. Sure, I’ll join you.” Pathik grinned at him and led Zuko and Druk to a platform where the two humans could sit down in the lotus position, with the little master still flying circles on top of them.

“This beverage will help you gain balance within yourself, however, I must admit that it certainly is an acquired taste,” he warned Zuko as he handed him a bowl. The child looked down at the concoction before warily taking a sip, putting down the bowl to lick his lips, seemingly unsure of the taste, then drinking a larger gulp. Pathik had to admit he was slightly impressed with the child. He had been expecting a much harsher reaction, outright disgust perhaps.

“It’s... not bad, I guess,” Pathik counted that as a win, “xocolatl is much better, though,” the boy finished. That piqued Pathik’s interest.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, xocolatl; it’s a traditional drink of my people, I suppose you couldn’t have ever tried it before.” They fell silent for a bit before Zuko offered “Do you want to try it?”

“I would love to,” Pathik confirmed with a nod. Zuko flashed him a toothy grin before reaching out for his bag, which he had dropped a little ways back. Zuko set to work just as the first raindrops of the storm began to fall. The first step was to boil some water apparently, as Zuko set up a kettle before lighting a fire under it... with his _own_ fire. Now, Pathik had suspected the boy to be a firebender from the moment he had caught those eyes, that wasn’t the shocking part; no, it was the fire itself that was breath taking.

“You,” Pathik began as he tried to keep the disbelief from his voice, “you have opened all your chakras!” 

“Uh, what?” the _child_ looked up at him.

“You were born on a moonless winter night, correct?” he asked, remembering the legends of rainbow wielding humans the monks had told him.

“Oh, you mean my fire! Yeah, I was, and I’ve always had dragon’s fire, ever since I firebent for the first time,” Zuko informed him as he returned to the kettle, adding green peppers to the water, interestingly enough. Really, Pathik shouldn’t have expected any less from the Sun Warriors. They _were_ as spiritual as the Nomads had been, after all.

“Well then, as a guru, I must congratulate you in opening all of your chakras.” Neither of them said anything for a while, the only sound that they could hear being the now raging storm and the clinking of utensils as Zuko prepared the drink. “You do know what chakras are, correct?” Pathik suddenly inquired. Zuko slightly faltered, looking as if in thought.

“Uh,” his face lit up, “yeah! They’re, like, pools of energy in the human body, right?” Pathik let out a small breathe of relief that this information wasn’t lost to the world just yet.

“Yes, that is exactly what they are. I am glad you know.” Zuko truly cheered up at that.

“There are seven chakras in total: earth, water, fire, air, sound, light and thought.” When Pathik nodded approvingly at him, the child practically glowed. “Nana Tozi taught me them!...” he trailed off, and he lost his bright smile. He turned away to fully focus on his task once again. Pathik understood his pain.

“You miss your family, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question. Zuko nodded anyways.

“I never wanted to leave them. When master Druk hatched, I had to go out into the world as his chosen teacher. There aren’t any sources left that could have helped in training him, and the information was all lost when the Hundred Year War began. Because the _traitors destroyed them all!_ ” he explained, his voice rising all the while, until he was so consumed by anger that the fire under the kettle became dragon’s fire. Pathik waited until the child calmed down on his own, the flames losing their colours and returning to orange.

“I- ugh! Sorry.”

“It is completely understandable, child. Your anger is justified, but remember to direct it appropriately and to the correct people. The Fire Nation in its entirety is not the one to be blamed.” 

“You sound like Uncle Iroh,” the child huffed out.

“Then your uncle is a truly wise man,” Pathik countered. Zuko sighed.

“I-... I _know_ the Fire Nation as a whole isn’t at fault, okay! But I, just, I don’t know- but... how am I supposed to forgive them when they’ve never gone against what their rulers are doing?!” he exclaimed.

“If you are truly asking me, and not just venting out of frustration, my answer would be time. Time and experience, especially with Fire Nation civilians; children and parents and elderly, mere citizens. It won’t be easy, oh no, life never is, even in enlightenment. I should know! But, simply give yourself time and space, to try and grow as a person. That is my advice to you.” Zuko remained silent after that and Pathik didn’t disturb him further as he poured a grayish brown drink into a cup, before setting it down next to himself, away from his reach.

“Oh, is it not ready yet?” he asked.

“Hm? I mean, if you want to, but we usually wait for it to cool. Just tastes better that way,” he answered and Pathik nodded at him.

“You would know better than I.” And so, they waited until Zuko declared the drink sufficiently cooled, the thunder and lighting of the storm a background to the quiet. Pathik took his cup from Zuko to taste the drink. It was... certainly a new experience; bitter and spicy and full of flavour, it was a beverage that, while not bad, was definitely something one would have to get used to in order to fully appreciate. However, Pathik was a man who lived almost exclusively off of onion-banana juice, so he didn’t have much trouble with enjoying the drink for what it was: a true delicacy! He quickly emptied the cup.

“Yum yum!” Zuko looked up at him again.

“You actually like it?” he asked with hope.

“It was exquisite!” The child laughed at that.

“Well, that’s one thing you have over Uncle Iroh.” Pathik laughed himself.

“Thank you,” Zuko said all of a sudden.

“Whatever for? Why, I should be thanking you for making me such a delicious drink.”

“No, I mean, thank you for what you said. About the Fire Nation. I think you are right,” Zuko smiled at him, and Pathik’s own face mirrored the child’s. He looked up and then very suddenly got up on his feet.

“Where’s Druk?” he spoke in a panic. Pathik looked around for the dragon himself, only to find him very much missing. Zuko looked outside, where the storm was currently at its very peak, and then, noticing something, ran.

“Child, wait!” Pathik called after him in alarm, and followed him. Thankfully, Zuko didn’t actually step outside, barely keeping himself at the edge of the temple.

“Druk!” he screamed out and Pathik saw him then. The master was flying under the rain, his movements so fluid it looked as if he were dancing, which perhaps, considering the Dancing Dragon kata, wasn’t so far off.

“What is he _doing_?!” Zuko hissed, and Pathik found himself agreeing. What exactly was the master doing? They didn’t have to wonder for long, for a lightning bolt crackled then, aiming itself towards the dragon, but before either human could react in horror, something Pathik could never forget happened. 

It was incredible; like nothing Pathik had ever witnessed before, and that had to mean _something_ considering his age. The dragon didn’t allow the deadly lightning to strike him. He instead gathered the charged energy within his talons. The lightning followed Druk’s will, as it folded in on itself and became a single giant mass. The master threw the now sphere shaped energy, and it actually started rolling, as if it were nothing but a game ball. It was a startling blue and blindingly bright, and as it traveled, tiny bolts of electricity could be seen trying to escape the mass, scorching the ground in their attempts. The noise it created was terrifyingly loud, almost as if it were a scream, and surely it could make people deaf too... Then, it stopped rolling, when it promptly _exploded_ , leaving a neat little crater and everything.

Druk returned to their side after that, but the both of them were utterly speechless now. The dragon wrapped himself around Zuko, and the child faintly pet his master on the head.

“Druk... what _was_ that...?” he whispered. The dragon’s only response was a happy chirp.

Pathik himself had had a realization then, as he remembered. Zuko had said that he was away from home because he and his people were ignorant on how to raise Druk. Now, the master had done something completely unknown, and surely Zuko would need to learn what had just happened. Pathik remembered; a vision, of a library where a fickle and agitated spirit of knowledge resided. He understood that vision now. He _had_ been informed of this child, after all.

“I may not personally know myself,” Pathik spoke up, “but I know who knows.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

The celebrations of the Sun Warriors for the winter solstice were truly a sight to behold, and, under normal circumstances, Ham Ghao would have lost himself to the dancing by this point. But for Agni’s sake, he just couldn’t get into the party spirit while Zuko was brooding like that.

He had been pretty successful in hiding his worries from everyone else (not even Iroh had noticed!), to Ham Ghao, however, it was as plain as day that something was just _not right_. Oh, sure, Zuko danced along and joked with Cozamalotl and feigned embarrassment at Tizoc’s teasing. Even still Ham Ghao could tell, that his movements were not as free, his laugh not as genuine, his groans not as loud. 

Something had gone awry, amiss, and Ham Ghao was determined to find out what had gone wrong, so that he could help Zuko, for that is what good uncles did!

He only got his chance once the winter solstice was officially considered over, as everybody headed to sleep once the longest night of the year finally struck midnight.

“Zuko, could we talk for a minute?” he asked the boy, and despite his yawn, Zuko nodded his head yes anyways. He pulled the child aside, away from prying ears. “Okay, now care to tell me what happened.” As expected, Zuko avoided his eyes. As _unexpected_ , he didn’t falter nor refuse to speak.

“I don’t know...” That was... much more disconcerting than Ham Ghao would like to admit. He set himself down to Zuko’s height.

“Hey, it’s okay. Just tell me what’s wrong and I’ll help.” he said with an open smile, purposefully looking into Zuko’s eyes. He hesitated for a moment before giving in.

“It’s Druk, he... did- he did something. I- I don’t know how to explain. There was a storm and Druk was flying and lightning was about to strike him! But, then, _he did something_. He- I have no idea how, but he almost _controlled_ the _lightning_ and then he just- threw it! Away from himself. It was... inexplicable.” Ham Ghao was as flabbergasted at it now as Zuko was. Lightning was cold blooded fire, as Iroh would so aptly describe, it couldn’t possibly be _controlled_ \- and yet, according to Zuko, Druk somehow had? Such a technique, Ham Ghao was sure, was either completely lost to history, or had _never even been discovered_ before, in the first place. Apparently though, Zuko hadn’t been done, as he spoke again.

“This happened in the Eastern Air Temple. We had gone there to hide from the storm... Uncle Ham Ghao, we met someone there, Guru Pathik. He’s a spiritual brother of the Air Nomads!” Ham Ghao’s eyes widened slightly. Now _this_ was very interesting information. “He saw what happened too, and he told me about a- library, a spirit library! He said I could find knowledge there.” Ham Ghao brightened at that.

“Well, that’s wonderful news!” he said, but he wavered when Zuko didn’t smile back. “So, what exactly is the problem?” Zuko looked away.

“It’s in the middle of the Si Wong desert.” Oh... that _was_ a problem. “What do you think I should do?” the child in front of him desperately asked. Ham Ghao smiled encouragingly.

“I think you should trust your instincts. What do they tell you?” Zuko remained in thought for a while, before nodding to himself and looking up at him, his eyes dead set and sure of themselves.

“They tell me I’ll need a much larger waterskin.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

When some random Earth Kingdom child had suddenly ran into her from behind, Fatıma had been more than ready to tell the brat to watch it and get lost with a scowl, but before she could do that, she saw the soldiers in Fire Nation armor, making their way towards the child. Now, Fatıma might hate the little spirit curses with a passion, but she was still aware that children were merely tiny humans who needed guidance and protection, and _not_ to be burned by warmongering ash makers. She hastily got in front of the kid.

“Selâmün aleyküm!” she greeted the savages with a raised hand and a jovial tone of voice, which got her a blast of fire in return for her kindness.

“Shut it, sand eater! Give us the kid and we won’t hurt you,” one woman yelled out in pathetic warning. _“Sand eater”_ , huh? She’d show them sand. She quickly got in her stance and the barbarians who could dare call her people as such sunk into the sand with her movements, up to their necks, completely immobilized.

“When one wishes peace upon you in our native tongue, _you return the favor_!” she said with dark eyes and a dangerous hiss to her voice, then pushed the ash makers away from herself and the kid with a swift stretch of her arms. They wouldn’t come back again, Fatıma knew, they never did after that. She had turned around to continue on with her business when the kid called out.

“Wait!” ‘ _Oh spirits._ ’ Fatıma thought with a roll of her eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re super grateful and whatever else. Listen, kid, I don’t care. I saved you from some ash makers. Great! Now leave me alone.”

“Uh, no, that’s actually not it- I mean, don’t get me wrong! Thank you, really, but, I- uh. You’re a native of this desert,” Fatıma raised a single brow at the kid, “that’s obvious, of course! So, um, I wanted to ask, do you know how to get to Wan Shi Tong’s library?” the kid asked and both of Fatıma’s eyebrows shot up.

“Tövbee!” she exclaimed. “Kid, _what_ is this even about? ‘Cuz trust me, you don’t want to go there. That place is spirit haunted!” The kid, frustratingly enough, didn’t seem deterred in the slightest.

“Well, I would hope so. It _is_ literally a spirit library, after all. Look, I can go there on my own, I have a rented ostrich horse over there,” he pointed towards the stables, “just tell me the way, that’s all I need.” And _this_ was why Fatıma could not stand children; they were all so stupid and this one, in particular, seemed actually suicidal. She sighed.

“Come, I won’t let you go there on your own. I’ll take you there with my sand-sailer,” she started walking and looked back behind her, “don’t worry, it can carry your beast as well.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

This had all gone much better than he had anticipated, Zuko thought, as he sailed through the desert with the sandbender (Fatıma, she had called herself). Honestly, he hadn’t meant to kick that soldier in the groin, truly, but the traitor had been harassing some poor merchant for taxes, threatening to burn them, and it had all gone down hill from there. Well, it turned out okay, in the end, so it was all good.

As he was petting Druk over his shirt with one hand, and the rented ostrich horse with the other, and as Fatıma was bending beautifully while the wiping air made his ears ring, Zuko saw it. It was just a single pillar now, the rest of the library buried under the unforgiving desert, but Zuko could spot a window at the very top, and, really, that’s all he needed.

When they finally reached the almost lost library, he got off the sailer with a thank you on his tongue.

“You don’t have to wait out for me. I’ll probably be here for a while, anyways. Again, thank you for everything,” he spoke with a bow.

“Kid, are you sure you’ll be fine on your own?” Fatıma asked with badly concealed concern. Zuko looked at the ostrich horse with him, which he had securely tied to the pillar walls with a hook, and then back to Fatıma to nod. She sighed (she did that a lot, Zuko realized).

“Very well. May the spirits be merciful to you,” she said in goodbye.

“And to you too,” he responded. Then, she was off, and Zuko was left to his own devices.

It wasn’t at all difficult to climb the pillar and up to the window, even with Druk squirming under his shirt, and when he did reach it, he let down a sturdy rope so that he could go down. Normally, he would have simply jumped down and cushioned his fall with his fire, but Guru Pathik had told him that the spirit of the library, too, was in pain from the war, and Zuko would not risk offending the spirit with his flames, even when they wouldn’t burn anything.

Zuko realized, as he fully scaled down the rope, how good of an idea that had been when he felt the presence behind him. He turned around, and met pure black eyes. He bowed to the owl spirit.

“Great Spirit of Knowledge,” he greeted.

“Human,” the spirit responded, his voice cold and calculating, “you should leave the way you came. Your kind are no longer allowed in my library.”

“But, didn’t you create your library _for_ us?” Zuko found himself asking before he could stop.

“Indeed, I had, but I am now aware of my mistake. Humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans. Like that firebender who came to this place a few months ago, looking to destroy his enemy.” Zuko had to bite down a gasp at that. ‘ _The Fire Nation was here?!_ ’ “So,” Wan Shi Tong spoke again, “who are you trying to destroy?”

“No one!” Zuko yelled back, offended at the spirit’s lack of faith in him.

“Then why have you come here?” the spirit continued to question. Zuko looked down his shirt to Druk, and nodded. The golden dragon flew up and settled himself on Zuko’s shoulder.

“I have come seeking knowledge on our original masters,” he said with confidence. That seemed to catch the spirit’s interest, if nothing else.

“And here I had believed fire’s first masters were extinct, along with the warriors of Agni. That is what you are, is it not?” he asked, his eyes piercing Zuko’s own.

“Yes, I am Warrior Zuko, son of our chief,” he confirmed with a nod.

“Hmm, very well. I’ll let you peruse my vast collection,” Zuko smiled hopefully, “on one condition.” He nodded in understanding as he tried to keep the disappointment off his face. “To prove your intentions as true to myself, you have to contribute some worthwhile knowledge.” Zuko had come prepared, as Guru Pathik had warned him of this possibility, and his hand went to his bag. He took the scroll and kneeled.

“Please accept this scroll of authentic Sun Warrior dances,” he offered.

“Ooh, I had not known the warriors wrote down their dances. Truly stylish illustrations, by the way,” the spirit said in actual wonder as he happily took the scroll.

“We don’t,” Zuko spoke up, “a Fire Nation ally was the one who wrote and drew it, and, yeah, Master Piandao is a pretty talented artist,” he explained with a soft grin. The spirit’s head snapped to attention.

“ _You_ have Fire Nation allies?”

“Of course.” Wan Shi Tong studied him for a long while, before turning around.

“Interesting...” he muttered, “Enjoy the library,” he added, before flying off. Zuko looked at Druk with a smile, and then turned to one of the foxes he had seen around the library, before Wan Shi Tong had cornered him (Knowledge Seekers, Guru Pathik had called them).

“Excuse me, could you take me to the section on the Fire Nation?” he asked of the fox, and was met with... a whine. It sounded anguished and sorrowful. _“That firebender”_ Wan Shi Tong had said... Zuko did not like where this was going. The Knowledge Seeker led him down the halls anyways, and stopped in front of a door. Zuko opened it. It had been burned to ashes, all of it.

“No...” he groaned out and collapsed on his knees. He didn’t bother to try and stop his tears. He only found his voice again when he once more felt the great spirit standing behind him. “Why?! Just when I think I can finally go back to my family, turns out the Fire Nation destroyed this place, too!” he screamed as he let out strong blasts of fire from both hands, not even bothering to make sure they didn’t burn. It didn’t matter, there was nothing left to _be_ destroyed. “Now I can’t even learn what Druk _did_ in that storm...” To his surprise, Wan Shi Tong actually answered.

“They do such things, because humans are power hungry and careless of the damage they cause,” he walked to Zuko’s side to look at him with those dead eyes, “however, perhaps humanity is not yet a lost cause as I had believed, if humans like you still exist.” Zuko didn’t know what to say to that, so he stayed quiet. “Besides,” the spirit continued, “not all the knowledge that could be of use to you was kept in this section, Warrior Zuko. Explain to me what your master performed, and my library may still be of help.” Zuko blinked up at the spirit, before shaking his head to gather his thoughts.

“Wait, really?” he asked hopefully. “Well, okay, so there was a pretty bad storm going on and Druk was flying in the air when a lightning bolt came towards him. It- looked as if he took control of the lightning and condensed it into a ball before rolling it away from himself,” he explained as best he could. The spirit’s eyes gleamed then.

“And did anything happen to this sphere, after awhile?” he asked.

“Uh- yeah! It _blew up_!” Wan Shi Tong straightened.

“Ball lightning!” he declared and stretched out a wing in the direction of the Knowledge Seeker that had guided Zuko. The fox must have understood his meaning, as it quickly scurried off. Zuko just blankly stared at the spirit.

“Your little master is truly a fascinating specimen, I must say!” he said with glee. “Ball lightning is an extremely rare natural phenomenon that is almost always reported to occur during strong thunder storms. It is even rarer, summoned by a bender of fire, original master or no, purely because of how obscure it is. As a bending technique, it utilizes foreign energy and converts it into one's own chi. Master Druk here seems to have a natural affinity for lightning.” Zuko’s mouth dropped as Wan Shi Tong explained further “Luckily for us all, I have kept the knowledge of this technique, not amongst others of firebending, but rather in a specialized section featuring bending of all the elements, alongside different advanced abilities, such as supercooling, and...” the spirit seriously started rambling at that point, so Zuko sort of just ignored him. When the Knowledge Seeker finally came back with a small ornate box in its mouth, Zuko couldn’t be more relieved.

“Ah, yes,” Wan Shi Tong spoke as he took the box and handed it to Zuko, “here is all that I have managed to collect of ball lightning.” Zuko opened the box. There were only four scrolls inside. He examined each one, and noticed that all of them were written by the same person, “Master Akira”.

“Wow, this really _is_ that rare, huh,” he couldn’t help but speak out loud. 

“Indeed, it is. Now come, I shall take you to an appropriate practical section of the library so that you can master this technique.” ...wait, _what?_ Zuko’s head snapped to look at Wan Shi Tong, but the spirit had already left the room, leaving Zuko to run after him.

“Hold up, you seriously want me to _master ball lightning_?” he asked the spirit once he caught up.

“Of course. Knowledge can only survive if it is passed down, and what better candidate to learn such an advanced technique than a human with dragon’s fire.” He grinned at the spirit.

When they reached this “practical section” Wan Shi Tong had mentioned, Zuko found himself amazed at the technology and architecture of the room. It was pouring down water from the ceiling of the room, and tiny metal boxes on the very top were generating sparks of electricity that sometimes formed lightning while other boxes along the walls created a continuous gust of wind. It was the perfect imitation of an actual thunder storm. The room itself was giant too, looking as if it was never ending. Zuko briefly wondered why there even was such a room in a _library_.

“Now, I shall be leaving you to your own devices. Have fun,” the spirit of knowledge said in his ever flat tone as he once again flew away. Just as he did that, Druk himself went into the room and, much like what he had done at the Eastern Air Temple, caught a lightning bolt headed towards him to form into ball lightning.

Zuko thought it didn’t look all that difficult, and joined the tiny dragon.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The human learned remarkably fast, even for someone with dragon’s fire, and Wan Shi Tong was glad for it. He had been truthful when he told the warrior that his knowledge had to be passed on to others. He had known that entrusting the human with this task would be the correct choice, of course he had.

He hadn’t managed to produce ball lightning the first few tries, nearly frying himself in his attempts, the only reason for his staying alive being the master he was learning from. When he had finally been successful, however, he quickly became a natural at performing the technique, just as his master was. Once, he even asked from his Knowledge Seekers for the generators in the room to be turned off, and for the water to be cut off enough so that it was just a small stream instead of the downpour that it used to be. The master himself had summoned the lightning that time, and the human had still managed to create ball lightning, even with the odds stacked against him.

It was fascinating, all of it. The human’s will to gain knowledge of the lost technique simply for the sake of it had been fascinating. Perhaps, he truly had misjudged humanity, drowned as he was in his own grief.

“I take it you are leaving,” he spoke when he found the human at the edge of the rope, no doubt ready to climb to rejoin his ostrich horse, which had been taken care of by his Knowledge Seekers throughout the warrior’s stay.

“I have to. I- made a promise. To a friend. I told her I would visit her in the spring,” he explained himself.

“Very well, then. Say my greetings to her for me. In fact, why don’t you take a little something for her. Perhaps a poem?” he generously offered.

“Oh, well, you see uh- she can’t read.” At Wan Shi Tong’s look of disgust, he clarified “She’s blind.”

“Hm, I understand. You,” he turned to one of his Knowledge Seekers, “bring me a few of the tablets and one of the translation scrolls.” The human looked at him in confusion as the fox followed its orders.

“What is this about?”

“I did tell you that I wish for my knowledge to live on, correct.” He waited for the human to nod dumbly before continuing. “If you say your friend is blind and yet cannot read, that can only mean this particular information has also been lost to the world.” Just as he finished speaking, his Knowledge Seeker came.

“Ah, yes. Here, take these to your friend,” he said as he handed over the three clay tablets and the scroll. The human traced one hand on the bumps of the clay for a second before looking at him for clarification.

“These tablets are what were once called ‘hand books’. If you look at the scroll given to you, you will notice that the bumps actually correlate to particular letters. With these, she can learn to read.” The human looked down on the hand books once again with wide eyes, and then broke into a stupid smile.

“Thank you, Great Spirit of Knowledge!” he declared with a bow. Wan Shi Tong simply nodded as the human safely put the hand books along with the scroll inside his bag. He silently watched the human leave, and then promptly returned to his duties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, who exactly wanted Zuko to meet Wan Shi Tong? Literally nobody. Did I have him meet the creepy shit eating owl, anyways? Yes, yes I did. Also, sorry the GAang still isn't here yet, we're getting there, I swear!
> 
> The sandbenders were partly based (if loosely) on central and western Asian cultures (along with the Tuareg people of the Sahara), and nothing will ever convince me otherwise. "Selâmün aleyküm" is a greeting that originates from Hebrew and has many meanings, but the one I used in the fic specifically is "peace be upon you". When someone greets selâmün aleyküm, the other is supposed to respond with "aleyküm selam", at least, that's how we do it in Turkey. The specific spelling I used is also Turkish, because I'm a Turk, so yeah. "Tövbe" is actually an Islamic prayer for God to forgive one's wrong doings, but in Turkish, it can also be used as a general expression for shock, exasperation or frustration, along with "tövbe estağfurullah" and "estağfurullah". Again, the spellings of these are Turkish.
> 
> "Ball lightning" is very much a real thing and we know practically nothing about it. Yay! Seriously though, many scientists straight up thought ball lightning was fake until the 1960s or something, and we didn't capture any real footage of it until 2014. Here's the wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning, and also high quality video (by ball lightning standards, that is) that I could confirm as somewhat authentic: https://www.newsflare.com/video/129500/other/ball-lightning-traveling-between-two-transformers


	8. Ice Breaker

Katara was holding on to the little floe she and Sokka were stuck on for dear life as the gigantic wave (created by a split iceberg, of all things!) came crashing towards them. It was terrifying, and as the water under them settled down somewhat, Katara felt her heart skip a beat. She had no idea how this had even happened; one second, she was giving her stupid, sexist brother his twentieth scolding of the day, and then the next, she heard that horrifying crack.

“Okay,” Sokka spoke up, “you’ve gone from ‘weird’ to ‘freakish’, Katara.” _Wait_ -

“You mean _I_ did that...?” She really shouldn’t be feeling proud of herself for this, but she couldn’t help it. _‘I really am a powerful bender!’_ she thought as she tried to keep an untimely smile off her face.

“Yep. Congratulations.” She couldn’t even get mad at Sokka for his sarcasm. No, really, she actually couldn’t, because frantic bubbles rose to the water’s surface then and something under them began to _glow_.

They quickly crawled away from the edge just as the source of that ethereal light revealed itself, creating brand new waves to crash into their floe. It was another iceberg, but this one... it was different. It was _unnatural_. Its top was almost perfectly spherical and its colour was a startling blue compared to the other chunks of ice around the place. That’s when Katara noticed _it_ , or rather _them_. It was a person! In fact, now that Katara took a closer look, she was sure that they were a child, a boy. He opened his eyes.

“He’s alive! We have to help!" And just like that, she grabs her brother’s club and runs to the boy’s aid, Sokka’s shouts and paranoia-fueled warnings falling on deaf ears. She hits the ice once, twice, five times, when the club finally breaks through and, before she can even realize what has happened, she’s thrown backwards by a gust of wind so strong, it could have rivaled that of the worst storms she has experienced...

When the gale dissipated, Sokka released his hold on her. (When had he even come to her side?) That glow still had not completely died down, and as they got to their feet, Katara couldn’t help but hold onto her brother. He was pointing his spear towards the indent that had been created in the iceberg, but then he lowered it when someone, _the boy_ , got up.

“Stop!” he called out to the kid in warning, weapon once again raised. The boy looked as if he didn’t hear him, and Katara knew he definitely hadn’t when the lights finally faded and the boy promptly fell. She gasped and quickly ran to catch the kid. Sokka followed her, but instead of helping this _child they found frozen in ice_ , he began poking him on the head with the blunt end of his spear.

“Stop it!” she said as she waved her brother away. She placed the boy against the base of the crater, and after a little bit, he opened his eyes. They were _grey_. She had never before seen anything like them.

“I need to ask you something...” he rasped out.

“What?” she asked.

“Please... come closer.” Okay, now she was really curious.

“What is it?” The kid very suddenly beamed at her.

“Will you go penguin sledding with me?”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“I knew it!” Sokka yelled out as he pointed a finger at the kid who was definitely a confirmed spy. “You signaled the Fire Nation with that flare! You’re leading them straight to us, aren’t you?” he asked rhetorically.

“Aang didn’t do anything!” his all too naive sister protested. “It was an accident.”

“Yeah,” the kid spoke up, “we were on the ship and there was this booby trap, and, well- we booby-ed right into it.” 

“Katara,” Gran Gran joined in, “you shouldn’t have gone on that ship! Now we could _all_ be in danger!”

“Don’t blame Katara,” the kid said. “I brought her there. It’s my fault.”

“Aha!” Sokka let out triumphantly. “The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy. The foreigner is banished from our village.”

“Sokka, you’re making a mistake,” Katara tried to argue.

“No,” he persisted in his totally righteous anger, “I’m keeping my promise to Dad. I’m protecting you, from threats like him!”

“Aang is not our enemy!” his sister said, equally stubborn. “Don’t you see?” she continued in a calm voice. “Aang’s brought us something we haven’t had in a long time: fun.”

“Fun?!” Sokka bellowed out. “We can’t fight firebenders with fun!”

“You should try it sometime,” the spy had the audacity to respond.

“Get out of our village! _Now!_ ”

“Grandmother,” Katara pleaded, “please. _Don’t_ let Sokka do this!”

“Katara,” Gran Gran began severely, “you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it best if the airbender leaves.”

“Fine! Then I’m banished, too! Come on Aang, let’s go.” That... hurt more than Sokka would like to admit, so he didn’t, hiding his pain behind false confidence instead (which he would also never acknowledge).

“Where do you think _you’re_ going?” he demanded.

“To find a waterbender. Aang is taking _me_ to the North Pole.” Oh for the love of- she was still going on about that?!

“I am?” the spy asked in honest confusion, but then brightened. “Great!”

“Katara! Would you really choose him over your tribe? Your own family?” Sokka asked, finally getting through to Katara as she stopped in her tracks.

“Katara,” the kid firmly stated, “I don’t want to come between you and your family.”

“So, you’re leaving the South Pole? This is goodbye?” she questioned, and she sounded so hurt... no! This was the right thing to do. This was what he had to do!

“Thanks for penguin sledding with me,” the spy said, sounding very much like a kid, and nothing like a spy- but this was still the correct decision. Sokka just knew!

“Where will you go?” his sister whispered, and Sokka realized that, yep, that actually was a pretty good question...

“Guess I’ll go back home and look for the airbenders. Wow,” he let out, seemingly coming to a realization himself, “I haven’t cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to _that_.”... A hundred years?! That- surely that was just some sort of inside joke, right? _Right?!_

The kid hopped onto his fluffy monster’s head as he said his goodbyes. “Let’s see your bison fly now, _air boy_ ,” Sokka couldn’t help but sarcastically remark.

“Come on Appa,” the kid encouraged the beast, “you can do it. Yip-yip!” The creature just growled.

“Yeah, I thought so!” he mocked. Amka cried out then, running next to Katara to look up at the spy with teary eyes.

“Aang, don’t go! I’ll miss you!” _‘This is for the tribe’s safety.’_ Sokka reminded himself.

“I’ll miss you, too. Come on, boy.” _‘This is for the tribe!’_ Sokka repeated as Appa walked away, disappearing over the hill. Amka returned to the village eventually, but Katara didn’t budge.

“Katara,” Gran Gran tried to console, “you’ll feel better after you-”

“You happy now?” his sister mock asked in rage. “There goes my _one_ chance at becoming a waterbender!” she seethed as she stomped away. Sokka wanted to reassure Katara then, to tell her that she already was a waterbender; he wanted to apologies, to run after the kid... NO. _‘This is the right thing. For my family...’_

“All right, ready our defenses! The Fire Nation could be on our shores any moment now!”

“But I gotta...”

“And _no_ potty breaks!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Yeah, I liked her too,” Aang said to Appa’s little grunt. Katara had been kind, and open, and just a fun person to be around. She had been... Aang wanted to call her a friend, he really did, because it had been so long since he had had anybody other than Appa or Monk Gyatso- oh spirits, Gyatso! It had been a hundred years; a hundred years of supposed _war_ no less!

He- he was fine, he had to be! Yeah, he was still alive, Aang just knew he was. He had met gurus from all four Air Temples who lived up to a hundred and fifty, hundred and eighty, two hundred years. Monk Gyatso was fine. He had to be. Even Avatar Kyoshi had lived to two hundred and thirty!... _Avatar_ Kyoshi. _That_ was why Aang was even out here in the first place, wasn’t it.

“I never wanted this. I never wanted any of this!” he complained to Appa just like he used to at the Southern Air Temple. It was all because he was the Avatar. Why couldn’t it have been someone else? Somebody older, somebody who could actually handle the responsibility. Aang was just a kid. The only thing he ever wanted from life was to have fun and play pranks and make friends again. He didn’t want to be the Avatar. He didn’t want to bend the other elements; airbending was more than enough for him! He wanted to go home. He wanted Monk Gyatso. Aang just wanted to be a kid, that’s all...

He sniffled as he wiped away his tears. He looked down on the snow... Well, it’s not like he had a choice. He was the Avatar, and he could never change it. It wouldn’t hurt to at least try it out. He got off Appa to land on the snow, and raised his hand as he tried to remember what Gyatso had told him about waterbending.

_“Water is fluid, forever changing. It is all about the push and the pull.”_

So, that’s what Aang did (or tried to do). He pushed and pulled. The snow melted into water at Aang’s will and moved with the hand he was waving from left to right. Hey, he was doing it! It wasn’t all that hard, either- his concentration broke, and the water he had been bending promptly fell, when he heard the gasp. He looked up to find Sokka, his mouth practically on the ground and his eyes popping out from his head. 

“Oh- uh, Sokka! Hey, uh, how’re you doing?” he greeted with a sheepish grin on his face. “Also, what are you doing here?” he asked, this time in genuine curiosity. “I thought you banished me.”

“I- but, _what_ , I, YOU’RE THE AVATAR?!” he screamed, his voice rising impressively high as it cracked horribly. “ _Why_ didn’t you tell us this before? In fact, why did you _lie_ to Katara yesterday?” Aang let his head fall down. It was happening again; he was going to be shunned again for being the Avatar. He was going to be alone again.

“Because... I never wanted to _be_ the Avatar. I’m just a kid,” he trailed off until his voice became a whisper that he was sure Sokka hadn’t completely heard. He was also absolutely sure that Sokka wouldn’t understand. But then-

“It’s too much responsibility, isn’t it?” he asked in sympathy, and Aang looked up again in slight shock before nodding. “I know how that feels, trust me. All of our men left when I was thirteen, and Dad tasked me with keeping our tribe safe.” That... explained a lot, actually.

“So that’s why you're so protective! I’m really sorry for what I did. It was stupid and selfish of me. I shouldn’t have made Katara go in there with me. _I_ shouldn’t have gone in there,” he said in earnest.

“Yeah, you shouldn’t have,” Sokka agreed, “but, I’m sorry, too. I overreacted. No Fire Nation navy came and the village is safe.” Neither of them spoke after that, but it was obvious that Sokka wanted to say more, so Aang waited for him to gain his courage. “Katara told me what happened in that ship, and what you told her. Are you _really_ a hundred and twelve years old?” he asked.

“I guess I am, yeah,” he answered as he looked away. 

“You benders just get weirder and weirder, I swear,” Sokka mumbled, and then fully spoke up. “Hey, you aren’t banished anymore, by the way. So, uh- yeah, you can come back, if you want to?” he said awkwardly. Aang smiled at him.

“I would love to. Come on buddy!” he responded as he looked back at Appa, before getting up and following Sokka, who had already begun walking. “So, what made you forgive me?”

“Well,” he drawled out, clearly not wanting to say anything, but then he seemed to resign himself to his fate, “Katara bullied me into getting you back when no Fire Nation came knocking on our doors.” Aang laughed, which earned him an annoyed look from Sokka.

“I’m glad she did!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Aang was the Avatar. The goofy airbender her grandchildren had brought home that fateful night; he was the Avatar. The master of all four elements was alive, and they had finally returned. With them, hope, too, had come back to Kanna of the Southern Water Tribe, once of the Northern Water Tribe. 

Kanna knew that her grandchildren's destinies had arrived also. She would have to let go of them now, to allow them out into the world. The Avatar needed to master all of his elements, and her little waterbender needed some real training, and so did her brave warrior in all honesty. It wouldn’t hurt if his ego were to be taken down a couple of notches, either...

The children had been shocked when Kanna had easily let them leave with the airbender and his sky bison, and she knew that she would be getting a laugh out whenever she thought of their faces for a long time. She didn’t neglect to pack everything that they would need (seal jerky, extra clothes, sleeping bags...) nor did she forget to give them a few words of wisdom: to be careful, smart, resourceful, nice to each other and to always have one another's backs.

Kanna had known that the Avatar had been truthful in his claims, and yet she still couldn’t manage to keep down a gasp when the airbender’s companion animal truly did fly. She watched her children leave on the animal, until her old eyes could no longer make out the silhouette. She let her tears flow freely for the first time in years. She was so unimaginably proud.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“What happened?” Katara asked her brother as she took in the wreckage around them, the air howling in their ears as Aang raged on. She had been examining Avatar Roku’s statue in the sanctuary when it, as well as all the other statues, began to glow. She had quickly ran to find her friend and brother, because this glow, she had seen it before. It meant Aang must be in trouble! It hadn’t been hard to locate them, and she had quickly come to Sokka’s side, taking cover from the ongoing wind storm, as her friend remained out of control and clearly in pain. They were in front of what Katara assumed must have been a tent, now completely blown up.

“He found out firebenders killed Gyatso!” Sokka answered her.

“Oh no! It’s his Avatar Spirit! He must have triggered it! We have to try and calm him down!” Katara yelled over the deafening chaos. Her brother was holding onto a rock for dear life at this point, but his eyes shined in understanding at her words.

“Good idea! Let’s do it, but be very careful, Katara!” She nodded at her brother, and then, as fast as they could manage without losing their balance (which wasn’t very fast), they started making their way towards their friend, step by cautious step. Sokka spoke first.

“Aang! Buddy, can you hear us?” He didn’t respond in any way. Katara tried to get through to him herself.

“Aang, please! I know you’re upset and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love,” she said.

“We both know Aang! When we lost our mother to the Fire Nation and then when Dad left us to join the war,” Sokka added.

“Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone,” Katara continued, “but you still have a family. You have Sokka and me! We’re your family now!” That seemed to have done it, as the gale finally started to die down and their friend slowly descended. When his feet touched the ground, the glow of his eyes and arrow faded, and he collapsed. She and Sokka quickly took hold of him and supported him up with a hug.

“Katara and I aren’t going to let anything happen to you. Promise,” Sokka reassured.

“I’m sorry...” Aang whispered, his voice hoarse and tired.

“It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault,” Katara told him.

“But you were right. And if the firebenders found this temple, that means they found the other ones, too. I really am the last airbender,” Aang said, resigned and dejected. The both of them tightened their hold.

“But you’re not alone! You’ll never be alone,” Sokka said firmly, and Katara nodded along.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The wave created by the Unagi sent them crashing into the rocks as Katara held onto him, the impact making her grunt in pain. The giant serpent, now that its shores were barren again, went under the water, and Aang watched as its shadow disappeared. He looked up at Katara.

“I’m so sorry Katara! That was a really bad idea,” he apologized sincerely.

“Ya think,” she said with an angry look in her eyes, and Aang ducked his head in shame. Katara hugged him tightly then. “I’m so happy you’re safe.”

“I’m happy you saved me,” he responded. “Thank you, Katara.”

“Never do anything like that again!” she ordered strictly.

“I won’t,” he promised. “You were right. Attention like that isn’t good for me. I shouldn’t have let it get to me like this, but I did. Let’s just leave already. I think I’ve had enough of Kyoshi Island for now.”

“Me too,” she readily admitted as she got up. “Let’s go.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“You know, no offense, but I really don’t understand why you girls aren’t helping with the war efforts,” Sokka told Suki as they took one last stroll through Kyoshi Island together. They were staying for the night, but would leave first thing in the morning, as Aang and Katara had informed him when they had shown up during their lesson, soaking wet and practically dragging themselves around.

“Listen, Sokka, a Kyoshi Warrior’s duty is to their people, first and foremost. Our village has stayed out of the war so far; for my people’s sake. We plan to keep it that way,” Suki said with furrowed brows and a serious voice.

“Well, maybe that’s what you want, but I doubt the Fire Nation will care. Sooner or later, they _will_ come for you, too. Besides, when the war ends, then _everybody_ will be safe. Wouldn’t you like to help with that?” he tried to reason with her. Suki turned away from him.

“I don’t know...” she whispered.

~~~~~~~~~~~

On his way back home for the winter solstice, Zuko had been in his room, rereading one of the scrolls written by Master Akira about ball lightning, Druk snuggly napping around his torso, when the Wani had come to a sudden stop. It took a little while for him to realize that the ship wasn’t in motion anymore, and when he did, he looked up towards his door in confusion. He got up off his bed just as someone knocked, asking for his permission to join him in his room.

“Come in,” he answered, and his uncle did so before swiftly shutting the door again. “Uncle Iroh, what’s going on? Why have we stopped?” he asked.

“A high security sea prison for earthbenders has been broken out from, and the warden has requested help from the crew. They will probably have to assist for a few hours, and then we can continue on our way,” Uncle Iroh explained. _‘Earthbenders have escaped a Fire Nation prison?’_ Zuko internally cried out.

“That’s wonderful news!” he exclaimed. “You stay here, buddy,” he told Druk, who flew out from under his shirt and snuggled into the bed’s blankets instead, as he made to go outside.

“Well, it is,” his uncle said, “but where are you going?”

“Uh- out? To see the prison.” Uncle Iroh’s brows rose.

“Now why would you want to do that?” he inquired.

“More like why wouldn’t I. Uncle Iroh, when will I ever get a chance like this again? It’s not like anyone will question me, anyways.” It was true and his uncle knew it; in the nearly three years that Zuko had been traveling, he had figured out that a good portion of the Fire Nation thought of dragon’s fire as always belonging to actual, literal _spirits_ , no matter its actual source. All he would have to do was just- show his fire, and most Fire Nation soldiers would leave him alone without trouble. It was a stupid belief, and it did still sting a little to be feared like that, but hey, it _was_ pretty useful from time to time. And besides, Uncle Iroh was the _Fire Prince_ , he could always make these things work out himself.

“I suppose you have a point. Very well, just be care-” He was out the door before his uncle could finish. He quickly ran out onto the deck. The Wani had been docked to the side of a metal port, and Zuko assumed this must be the prison. It was huge and foreboding; no place for _any_ person to live in, imprisoned or no. He was so glad that the earthbenders had managed to escape. Nobody deserved this. 

As he made his way through the place, he was more and more horrified at the things he saw, or rather the things he didn’t see. Metal, metal, metal everywhere. There was not even a sliver of earth to be found, and while that did make sense ( _‘How did the earthbenders even escape?’_ ), it was just so, so wrong. He couldn’t imagine being kept away from firebending, and he couldn’t ever imagine something like this being done to Dad, to either of his uncles, Coza, Nana Tozi, or anybody else he loved. He especially didn’t want to even think about Toph ever being locked away in such a horrible place...

When he finally reached an enormous open area he concluded to be the prison courtyard, Zuko got his answer as to how everyone had escaped. There was black soot covering the floor, and he had to carefully maneuver through the coal scattered everywhere so that he wouldn’t have to return to the Wani limping. He had to give it to the Earth Kingdom, their people truly were resourceful.

As he walked through the impressive wreckage, satisfied with the damage the eathbenders had caused to the traitors’ stronghold, he noticed something glinting on the ground. He made his way towards it, only to find a necklace laying on the floor of the courtyard. He crouched down to pick it up. It was beautiful, and yet so confusing. Its straps were short, with a single stone hanging from them. A single _blue_ stone with a _wave_ insignia carved into it... He had never before seen anything like it; not in his home, definitely not in the Earth Kingdom, and, on Agni’s name, if this actually belonged to one of the Fire Nation guards, Zuko would be cutting off his Phoenix tail right then and there. He could think of the obvious answer himself, but that just didn’t make any sense. The Northern Tribe had completely shut itself off from the rest of the world, and the Southern Tribe had almost been wholly eradicated by the warmongers. So how...?

“Hey kid!” somebody yelled, snapping Zuko out of his thoughts. He looked up, still on the ground, to find a guard standing above him. “What do you think _you’re_ doing here? This is no place for barefoot children to run amok! Get lost, you uncivilized brat,” they snarled out. Zuko blankly stared at them for a bit, before grinning at them in the most feral way he could possibly muster, showing teeth and all, and lighting a little flame with the hand not holding the necklace. The traitor’s stammers as they quickly stepped away were hilariously amusing, and he made sure to laugh at the jerk too as he got up to head back to the Wani.

While walking back, still chuckling at how ridiculously fast the guard’s face had contorted, he looked down in wonder on the necklace again. He would just have to ask his uncle, then.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Uncle Iroh!” his nephew called out to him as he climbed onto the deck.

“Zuko, you’re back early,” he said. It had only been half an hour or so, and Iroh had presumed that his nephew would have wanted to explore the place a little longer.

“Look at what I found,” he responded, holding up something that sparkled in the light of the setting sun. As he came closer, Iroh realized it to be a necklace. Zuko handed the jewellery to him when he reached his side, and Iroh’s eyes widened in surprise when he examined the piece.

“My, what a true masterpiece of craftsmanship. The Water Tribes are indeed a talented peoples,” he remarked.

“So you also think it’s from the tribes. But then how did it get _here_?” his nephew smartly asked.

“I wouldn’t know, but if I had to guess, it might just be from the Southern warriors,” he answered.

“Wait, _Southern warriors_?” Zuko said in disbelief.

“Ah, of course. You wouldn’t know.” Iroh put down the necklace to look at Zuko. “A few years back, the warrior men of the Southern Water Tribe came to the Earth Kingdom to help with the war efforts against the Fire Nation,” he explained. Though that just raised the question of why a man had had such an accessory with him.

“ _Just_ the men?” Zuko asked in shock.

“Yes. You see, in the Tribes, only men receive warrior training,” Iroh told him. He didn’t look any less confused.

“But why? That doesn’t make any sense! Especially not with the war going on,” he pointed out, and Iroh had to agree with him. He himself didn’t completely understand either, so he could do nothing but shrug. Zuko seemed less then satisfied with that. Iroh handed the necklace back to his nephew.

“So, uh- what should we do with it?” he inquired.

“I’m not sure, Nephew. I don’t believe we have any other option but to keep it. Whoever this belonged to is long gone by now,” he said with a shake of his head. Zuko sighed.

“Yeah, you’re right. I guess I’ll just do that,” he said- before promptly tying it around his _own_ neck. Iroh had been ready to say something, however he quickly shut his mouth when he remembered that jewellery was very much considered to be a gender neutral accessory amongst the Sun Warriors. Iroh realized then, that perhaps, the Water Tribes saw it that way, too, and that he had, just moments ago, needlessly projected his own cultural understandings onto the Tribes. He would have to be much more sensitive of such things in the future, he knew.

“Thank you, Uncle Iroh. I’ll be in my room if you need me,” his nephew excused himself.

“Of course,” he said back as he watched Zuko leave.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Zuzu!” Coza yelled out as she ran to armadillo bear-hug him. “You’re back!” Druk poked his head out then, making her giggle. “Hi there, little guy!” she greeted as she pet the tiny master’s head with one hand, the other still holding on to her friend, making the dragon purr. 

“Yep, we’re back...” Zuko said breathlessly, and she knew to let him go then, lest she kill him. She noticed the necklace he was wearing when she pulled away.

“Woah,” she let out, “that’s so pretty!” she said, pointing to it with a finger. It was tight around his neck, and the little blue stone of the necklace was shining beautifully under the sunshine. “Where’d you get it?” she asked, hopeful that maybe he could get her one like it, too.

“Oh, from an earthbender prison,” he answered casually.

“Uh- _what_?” she spluttered out, dumbfounded. Druk flew to land on her shoulder then, but she didn’t pay much attention to him.

“Yeah, there was this- giant metal prison, in the middle of the sea, where the traitors had imprisoned earthbenders. They managed to escape though!” he quickly assured when Coza looked at him with worried eyes. “They wrecked the place, actually, and the warden of the prison wanted the Wani’s crew to help them, so we had to stop there for awhile. I decided to explore the place a bit, and found this,” he finished his explanation with his hand pointing at the jewellery, and Coza eyed it again.

“It’s... so unique. It’s nothing like the other Earth Kingdom jewellery you get for Ham Ghao,” she observed.

“That’s probably because it’s Water Tribe.” _‘Did he just say-?’_

“Wait, seriously? Water Tribe? In the _Earth Kingdom_?!”

“Right? I thought the same, but Uncle Iroh said it’s definitely Water Tribe. The warrior men of the Southern Tribe joined the war a while back apparently, so- it’s probably from one of them,” he explained with a shrug.

“Uh- the ‘men’?” Zuko shook his head before he clarified.

“Only men get warrior training in the Tribes.”

“Uhh, why?” Coza drawled with a raised eyebrow.

“Don’t ask, I’m as clueless as you are.” 

“Weird...” she trailed off, before shaking herself to clear away her thoughts so that she could smile at Zuko, “Whatever. Hey, come with me. I want to show you something.” That caught his interest quickly, and he looked at her curiously.

“Oh? What is it?” he asked as he followed her. She stayed quiet, leaving Zuko hanging. When they crossed their current borders, he realized she was leading them towards their old home; the place that the Fire Nation called “ruins” now. (It didn’t matter what the Fire Nation thought, those buildings which they had tried so hard to burn away a hundred years ago were greater than they ever would be.)

“Why are you taking me to our sanctuary?” he asked again, and this time she answered. Sort of.

“Something incredible happened while you were away, around a veintena or so ago.” 

“...Okay? _What_ , though?” She smirked at him.

“Guess!” she said teasingly.

“Oh, come on Coza!” he huffed with a roll of his eyes, just as they finally made it to their destination. They went inside, where the ceiling was an impressive dome over their heads and the walls were decorated with tile art of the past, of legends and tales, of spirits. She went inside one room in particular, Zuko right behind her.

“Well? Ring any bells?” she questioned as they both looked at the walls of art, of the masters of all the elements. Zuko’s brows furrowed in thought, before his eyes wandered over to Yangchen, then to Kuruk and to Kyoshi, and finally to Roku. His back straightened and his head snapped to look over at her.

“You don’t mean...?” he said with reserved hope. She nodded her head at him with a toothy grin.

“I was helping Nana Tozi out, when Citlalic asked to go visit the sanctuary, so I took her here myself. They began to glow while I was teaching her about the elemental cycle,” she explained as she indicated the tile art in front of them. Zuko very suddenly hugged her (not as tightly as she had him, of course, that would have been impossible).

“They’re back!” he cried out in joy and Coza hugged him back. “The Avatar is back...!” he repeated. But then, he suddenly stiffened and pulled back. “The Fire Nation! They’d know, too,” he whispered with wide eyes. “...Do you- do you think they’ll be fine...?” Coza was the one to roll her eyes this time.

“Really, Zuzu? The Avatar must be a hundred and twelve at this point. Of course, they’ll be fine!” she confidently told him. Zuko hesitated before breaking into a smile and hugging her again.

“Yeah. You’re right.” They stayed like that for a few minutes (or maybe an hour?), and before they could pull away from each other's embrace themselves, they heard hurried footsteps. Ohtli came running into the room, gasping for their breath.

“There- you are...” they huffed, “Ugh- for Agni’s- sake! Why is it always- _me_ who sprints after people, huh?!”

“Hello to you, too, Ohtli,” Zuko said with a small grin, and Druk got off Coza’s shoulder to greet the breathless warrior himself. Ohtli smiled up at the flying dragon as best they could, still crouched down and panting as they were. They took a few deep breaths, before gathering themselves and looking at Zuko.

“The masters Ran and Shaw have ordered you to climb the altar,” they informed seriously, and both she and Zuko froze. The masters only ever called upon the warriors for things that were truly important, and for them to ask for Zuko so soon, when he had _just_ returned home, too... Coza did _not_ have a good feeling about this. She shared a look with her friend, who looked as apprehensive as she felt.

“I- uh,” he stuttered out, “I’ll- see you later, then...” he wavered as he made his way outside, Druk immediately following to wrap around him as he stepped out of the room. Cozamalotl watched him go.

~~~~~~~~~~~

For being the Avatar, the supposed bridge between both worlds and the bringer of balance, Aang could be a really stupid kid sometimes. Like, seriously, what was he thinking? That they would just let him go into the Fire Nation on his own? Or that he could actually pull along a ten ton fluff monster that was clearly unwilling to go?! Sokka doubted that he could. A lot.

“Let’s go, Appa! Come on, boy!” Wow, he really thought he could win this battle, huh? _‘Just give up, Aang. Just give up,’_ he thought. “Look I’m sorry, but Katara and Sokka aren’t coming to the Fire Nation with us. If they got hurt, I’d never forgive myself.” Aw, times like these, Sokka remembered how good of a friend Aang truly was. “So get your big butt off the ground and let’s go!” Well, that was pretty bold of him. Yeah Appa had a big butt; a big butt that could easily crush anyone and anything. Sokka wouldn’t have insulted it if he were Aang.

“I think his big butt is trying to tell ya something,” he commented casually.

“Please don’t go Aang,” his sister said desperately. “The world can’t afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. Neither can we,” she continued, and Sokka nodded along.

“But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means! I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the solstice. That’s today!” Aang cried out as he airbended himself atop Appa’s head. He looked back at them sadly and apologetically, before taking the reins in his hands. Appa stood up to leave to Sokka’s surprise, and he and Katara shared a quick look before running. They moved in front of the bison, cutting him off.

“We’re not letting you go into the Fire Nation, Aang,” Katara spoke fiercely.

“At least, not without your friends. We got your back,” Sokka clarified lightheartedly and Appa decided that this was a great time to wash his face with slob. He let out a _very dignified_ “Ew!” as the fuzzy beast licked him.

Aang looked at them for a bit, before breaking into a smile and nodding to them. They quickly climbed onto Appa’s saddle.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko was giving it his all to not start hyperventilating as he stood on the altar, the masters Ran and Shaw flying in front of him, not in circles like normal, but side by side, imbalanced. Something was wrong. Ran approached him then, and one of its whiskers touched his forehead. He willingly opened his mind to the masters, and he saw.

He saw a temple. He saw a temple on a crescent shaped island. The visions pulled him inside the temple, and he saw a door, indeterminately closed off from the world. He saw elders in red, their hands matching the colour of their clothing. The Fire Temple. Crescent Island. The Fire Sages. The visions were concise; they made sense. But, then there was something else. These were less like visions, and more like _feelings_ : of regret, despair, sorrow, fear, feelings of _failure_... The only thing that was actually discernible to Zuko was the mass hanging in the sky, completely black. The thing was black, black, _black_ -

The whisker pulled away and Zuko collapsed onto his knees, gasping. Druk was there by his side, whining with worry, and he pet the little dragon in an attempt to sate both the master and himself. He tried to collect himself, before getting up, and bowing to his masters. He didn’t ask for them to elaborate; he understood that this was all they could do for their warriors. They weren’t spirits of foresight, not truly, so they hadn’t been allowed to reveal anything else. Not in current time, at least. Zuko would be content with this, and if he wasn’t, he would _make_ himself be so. As he walked down the mountain, he knew what he had to do, even as he tried to forget about those emotions he had felt, along with that dark sphere he had been shown. He had to leave.

Zuko had to leave _now_ , and get to Crescent Island as fast as possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko was leaving.

He was leaving. It hadn’t even been a day and he already had to leave them again. Coza tried not to throw a fit, she was fourteen, she knew better, but it was so hard to control her emotions when _Zuko was leaving already!_ It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair; not to her, not to everybody else, and not to Zuko. The journey to Crescent Island alone would take them around half a day or so, and Zuko and Iroh still had to make their way to the port first. He couldn’t even stay for the night, he didn’t have the time...

“I’m so sorry, Coza,” he tried to console her as they hugged goodbye.

“You’re leaving. You’re going to miss the winter solstice!” she sniffled, unable to stop her tears.

“Yeah, I _am_...” he whispered in horror, sounding like he was trying to keep himself from crying as well.

“Just- be safe, okay?!” she yelled out. “And keep Druk safe, too.” He looked at her with determined eyes.

“I will. Promise.” She tightened her hold on him one last time, before letting him go.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jee had been confused when Prince Iroh and that spirit child had come back not even a full day later, when usually they would be gone for at least a week, off doing who knows what sort of spirit world stuff. He had been worried when the prince had ordered for them to head to _Crescent Island_ of all places. He hadn’t voiced his thoughts, none of the crew had dared. 

He wasn’t sure about the others now, but in all honesty, Jee was still worried, even with the Wani currently anchored in the middle of the sea. This time though, his worry was for the _kid_ , strangely enough. _‘Why am I even concerned for a spirit, in the first place?’_ he mused silently. Well, perhaps it was because the kid was going in the small vessel provided to the crew, when they could have just as easily taken him to the Fire Temple with the Wani themselves. Oh, yeah, he was also going _alone_.

“Hey kid,” he called out to him, “are you really sure about this?”

“Of course, I am,” he responded flatly, leaving no room for argument.

“Why are you even doing this?” he asked. The kid actually looked up at him, seemingly in thought, before giving Jee a steely look.

“I’m not telling you anything. I don’t _know_ if you’re trustworthy!” he spoke with conviction. Something about what the kid said, about Jee being suspicious, about him possibly being traitorous... it didn’t sit right with him. He was already a dishonored man by his nation’s standards. That this child would also call his honor into question-

Jee found his thoughts interrupted all of a sudden, as he heard the splash of the vessel hitting the water then. Just like that, the kid was off... He found himself unable to look away from where the spirit child had been moments earlier, as he continued to ponder.

~~~~~~~~~~~

They were cornered, like a puffin-seal during hunting season. Sokka got out his boomerang, ready to throw it at the enemy, as the Fire Sage who had trapped them advanced. He had his hands raised... in peace?! No way.

“I don’t want to fight you! I am a friend,” he had the nerve to lie.

“Firebenders aren’t our friends!” he told the sage as Aang stepped in front of him and Katara, ready to defend them. The Fire Sage stepped forward too- before dropping to his knees... Huh.

“I know why you’re here, Avatar,” he said, surprising them all.

“You do?” the aforementioned “master of all four elements” asked.

“Yes,” he rose from the ground, “you wish to speak to Avatar Roku. I can take you to him.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko had expected that the Fire Temple would have been heavily guarded, and really difficult to get into, and yet, he was currently climbing up stairs through ornate halls, having gone completely undetected. For a nation that prided itself on its superiority, the Fire Nation seriously needed to tighten security (or maybe Dad actually had a point when he would call Zuko a sneaky drake).

He spotted the same door he had seen in the visions as he finally reached the upper sanctuary. It was just as shut as it had been before. Now, the Fire Temple, along with the sages, may be a tradition belonging purely to the Fire Nation, but Zuko still had an idea as to how he would open the door. The Air Nomads had had a similar system, he recalled Nana Tozi telling him when he had been a young child, however this also looked more complicated than that. There were five open-mouthed dragons instead of two horns, and Zuko could tell that getting this door to open was neither going to be easy nor fun.

He stepped in front of the door, and focused as hard as he could as he held out his hands. Three small balls of dragon’s fire formed, all nearly identical in their brightness, and Zuko couldn’t help his satisfied smirk at his achievement. He stretched out his hands, and each ball became powerful blasts of fire at his command. He was doing it, it was working! But then, he tried to form a fourth fire ball, and just when he could see it getting summoned over the fires he was already blasting off, he lost his breath, and his balance with it too as he stumbled. His fires died down, and he held onto his knees as he gasped for precious air. He failed. He would fail again... if he tried to do this alone, that is. He quickly looked around, before tugging at his shirt.

“Druk! Come out, I need your help with this,” he spoke, and the dragon listened as he flew up. Zuko nodded at him before saying “You take those two at the very right, I’ll handle the rest.” Druk followed his instructions and, forming two balls of flame of his own, started blasting his fire. Zuko braced himself before bringing life to three fire balls yet again, and blasting them off towards the remaining dragon statues. They didn’t stop firebending until they heard the heavy click. They killed the fire blasts off then, and when the flames faded away, they watched as the contraption unraveled itself to let the door open. Zuko smiled at their success, but then turned around in alarm when he heard muffled talking and footsteps behind them.

“Druk!” he whisper shouted, and the golden dragon quickly hid again under his shirt. Zuko ran to one of the pillars and climbed up it to where he couldn’t be seen, just as a single tile was raised and a group of four people ascended to walk into the room. One of them gasped.

“That’s it!” they said happily in a child’s voice, “That’s the room!” An adult, one of the _sages_ , Zuko realized, bowed to the kid... Wait, he did what?

“It has been an honor to serve you, young Avatar.” Zuko nearly lost his hold on the pillar and fell. He looked at the kid again, and noticed their yellow-orange tunic and the arrows running across their body. The Avatar... they were a _child?!_

“Thank you so much for helping us, Shyu. We never could have found this place on our own,” somebody else said. Somebody who was _also_ very clearly a child. In fact, they couldn’t have been older than Coza. Why were these people all _kids?_ Yeah, sure, Zuko himself was only sixteen, but for Agni’s sake, wasn’t there a _single_ adult in charge of this situation?!

“Please, do not thank me. I am merely doing my duty. And that duty is to the Avatar and the Avatar alone.” Oh, well there was the sage, Zuko supposed, and what an interesting person they were. Perhaps not all the Fire Sages were traitors, after all. The child Avatar walked into the room, while their two friends stayed behind. That turned out to be the right choice, because the door suddenly slammed shut behind the Avatar, and a bright glow was emitted for a second before fading back.

“What was _that_?” the third and final kid asked in fear, and, hey, they seemed about Zuko’s age, maybe a year or so younger. So at least there was an _older teenager_ in the group. That was better than nothing.

“It seems that Avatar Roku does not want anyone else inside,” the sage theorized.

“Well then, I guess we’ll just- wait out for him,” the other kid from before shrugged. Zuko took that as his cue to leave, so he quietly dropped down and silently dashed to the tile, as it had been left open. He found himself at the top of a long spiral staircase and, feeling lazy, he jumped down instead of walking. He stopped his fall using his fire with practiced ease, sure that nobody could have heard him, and made his way through the halls. As he continued on, Zuko observed that these halls were much less decorated then the ones he had come in from. He realized why soon, when he ended up in a chamber of actual _molten lava_. Not bad. It took him a few wrong turns, but he eventually found an exit that he could open, with only a single spark of flame needed this time (thank spirits). Just as he was about to create the flame, he heard the other Fire Sages. 

“Look at the scorch marks!” one said.

“The Avatar is in the hidden chambers!” another yelled.

“Well,” a cold, slimy voice said with authority, “what are you waiting for? Open it.” Oh, like on Koh’s name Zuko would let them through! He created a large wall of fire at the door’s entrance just as it opened, and the traitors’ gasps and screams of horror did nothing but encourage him to strengthen his flames. He heard frantic footsteps.

“It’s a spirit! Run!” 

“Get back here you cowards!” spoke up the owner of the cold, slimy voice; not so cold anymore.

“But Commander Zhao, Sir, that is spirit’s fire. Its source must not be angered!” one of the few remaining sages warned.

“Great Fire Sage, and here I was to be believed that you knew of spirits and their ways. That is no ‘spirit’s’ fire. This is dragon’s fire, and if it’s _here_ then its source is definitely mortal!” the commander screamed out as he shot a blast of his own flames to the wall of fire. Zuko would have found the man trying to literally fight fire with fire amusing, but all he could think at the moment was _‘He knows.’_

This Zhao guy _knew_ what dragon’s fire actually was, and he knew that humans could wield it, too. He knew, and he was a Fire Nation commander; someone with power, someone with authority. He was a danger to Zuko, a danger to Druk and a danger to his people’s secrecy. He was a threat...

Zuko hurried to push the wall of fire towards the halls. The guy’s shriek of combined terror and anger wasn’t as satisfying as it really should have been. The Fire Sages had all left at that point, and the commander eventually ran away, too. Zuko allowed the wall to put itself out, and quickly ran out the door and back to his ship.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Aang!” Katara called out as she ran to his side, Sokka right behind her.

“Hey guys...” he greeted dejectedly.

“What happened? What did Roku tell you?” Sokka asked.

“He... he told me about Sozin’s Comet,” he responded, and while she and her brother were lost, Shyu seemed to understand.

“You did not know about it?” he said with shock in his voice.

“No! I was stuck in an iceberg for the last hundred years. How could I?” 

“Uh- sorry to interrupt but, what’s Sozin’s Comet?” her brother interjected.

“Roku said it’s a comet that will give the Fire Nation unimaginable power. They used it to start the Hundred Year War, and it’s coming back by the end of summer. I have to master all four elements before the comet arrives,” Aang explained severely.

“WHAT?!” Sokka yelled, and Katara found herself thinking the same.

“Oh child,” Shyu spoke up, “I’m so sorry,” he said as he shook his head. Aang didn’t say anything, none of them did for awhile.

“Well, we know now, and that’s better than if we never learned about it,” Katara spoke with confidence, trying to improve all their moods somewhat.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Aang agreed, though he wasn’t completely cheered up yet.

“Let’s go, then,” Sokka stated. “Shyu?” he asked. The sage shook his head once more.

“No, I cannot come. My treachery has not been discovered, so I must stay here, to keep the others in line.” All three of them nodded their heads in understanding.

“Still though,” Sokka added, “I think we should make sure that the others don’t suspect you.” Shyu looked at him curiously.

“How?”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Shyu blasted off a fire ball towards the Avatar and his friends, making sure that it wouldn’t actually hit them. They ran away as he followed after them through the halls, and when he spotted his fellow sages, strangely huddled together in a corner of the temple, he called out to them.

“Hurry! The Avatar is getting away!” he yelled at them, which seemed to snap them out of... whatever that had been, as they quickly got up and started chasing as well.

“Stop them!” someone who was _not_ a sage screamed, but Shyu didn’t pay attention to them. He and the sages eventually cornered the kids, but they were by an open window, just like they had planned, so he knew they would be fine. Aang took out his glider and opened it.

“Hop on!” he said, and as soon as his companions did so, they jumped out the window, even when all of them were shooting fire at them, with Shyu’s flames being the most poorly aimed of them all, and just like that, they were gone.

“No!” the person from before exclaimed, but he once again ignored them as he tried not to smile. The Avatar and his friends had safely escaped. He looked over at the Great Fire Sage. His face seemed... oddly white.

“What’d I miss?”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Iroh walked towards the railings of the Wani and joined his nephew’s side to watch the ocean below. They didn’t say much for a little while, simply greeting each other before turning their heads forward once again. It was a comfortable silence as they made their way back to the Earth Kingdom.

“You showed remarkable bravery today, Nephew. I am proud of you,” he spoke as he broke their quiet.

“Thank you, Uncle Iroh,” Zuko responded in a low voice.

“I am sorry that you have missed the winter solstice celebrations.” His nephew’s hand went to his shirt.

“Yeah, I am, too...”

“You did the right thing,” Iroh assured, and Zuko looked up at the darkening skies. Tranquility once again took over, but this time, there was an evident undertone of sadness and regret. Zuko broke it this time. 

“Uncle Iroh...”

“Yes, Zuko?” He turned to look at Iroh and hesitated slightly.

“I- from now on, I’m not going to be leaving the Wani,” he said.

“Oh, really now? Why is that?” he asked with an open and curious voice. “Not that I’m complaining, but still,” he added, for Iroh truly wouldn’t be one to disagree with such an idea. Getting to spend more time with his nephew was always an upside.

“Because I helped the Avatar. Directly. The traitors saw my fire, and... one of them, a commander, knows what dragon’s fire really is, so now I’m no longer safe on my own. Druk is no longer safe with just me! We can’t go out alone anymore, not for awhile at least. We have to stick with you, and with- and with the crew, too,” he explained himself, and Iroh was alarmed at his nephew’s words. That could definitely prove to be a problem later on.

“That is understandable, and a good idea, too. Who knows, maybe you could even bond with the crew a bit,” he told his nephew discretely.

“Yeah, maybe...” Zuko admitted. They continued to watch the sun set.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you've probably noticed that this fic is part of a series now. I wanted to clarify what that meant, so, basically, *this* fic is still the main story and I probably won't be writing any sequels for it once it is done. What "part of a series" means in this context, is that I'll be writing "mini fics" throughout this project's development, and once it's finished, too, that are mostly separate from the main story, but still take place in the same universe. These mini fics could be anything from small translations to one shots, or side stories that I couldn't adequately explore in the main story. So yeah, if ya'll like the sound of that, stay tuned :)
> 
> Also, probably should have mentioned this way earlier, but if anybody's wondering about Zuko's hair, don't worry, when I say "phoenix's tail", I don't mean his season 1 hair, but rather his hair from his childhood that we saw in "Zuko Alone". So, really, it's just long haired Zuko ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	9. The Necklace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hey, before we begin, I think a lot of people missed the one shot I uploaded, "Bitter Bean Water and Hot Leaf Juice" (can be found from Dancing Dragon series), about some things that happened just after Iroh met the Sun Warriors and visited Ran and Shaw. If this was the case for you, and you're planning on commenting, please tell me so. If enough people confirm my suspicions I will upload all other one shots I'll write alongside updates to the main fic from now on, and announce the side fics and their topics in the notes of the chapters.
> 
> If this *wasn't* the case for you, and you just ignored the one shot because it didn't interest you, never mind this beginning note.

_It was dark. There was a black sphere hanging in the sky and it was dark. There was smoke billowing up, making his nose burn._ Everything _was burning; his home, his family, he himself (for the love of Agni, make it stop!). They were all burning. There was something black in the sky and it was all burning and people were_ screaming. _It was so, so dark and_ everyone was burning, please make it stop, make it stop, MAKE IT-!

Zuko woke up with a violent start, soaking in his sweat and loudly gasping out his horror. He tried hopelessly to calm down from his nightmare as he rapidly breathed in and out, screams and burning flesh still haunting his thoughts. He frantically looked around the room, and only when his eyes landed on a peacefully sleeping Druk right by his feet did his muscles finally relax as he let out a breath. He flopped back down on his bed, his head dully hitting the pillow.

He had been having dreams of his worst fears ever since the winter solstice. The visions given to him by the masters Ran and Shaw were bad enough on their own, with just how grim and cryptic they had been, but those combined with the knowledge that a _Fire Nation commander knew about him_ and had witnessed him helping the Avatar, no less, proved to be too much for Zuko’s psyche to handle. He had attempted anything and everything that he knew of to sate his mind, from meditation by candle fire to a bunch of different methods he had come across throughout his travels; Guru Pathik’s onion-banana juice, that weird herbal concoction the old herbalist had taught him to make, Aunt Wu’s many prediction techniques... He had even tried one of Uncle Iroh’s disgusting tea blends, he was that desperate! That didn’t seem to have worked, either, if his still too heavy breathing was anything to go by.

He sighed as he sluggishly got out of bed, careful not to wake Druk up as he pulled away his blankets. If his master was still asleep, that meant Agni hadn’t risen yet either, but it wasn’t like Zuko would be able to go back to sleep after... _that_ , anyways. He quickly changed out of his sleepwear and into day to day Fire Nation clothing, then tied his hair into its usual Phoenix tail, before leaving his room as silently as possible, not neglecting to close and lock his door on his way out.

His steps were slow and reluctant, and when he reached the Wani’s deck, he was met with dark skies. _‘Just like in- NO!’_ he interrupted his own thoughts, as he did his best to shake away the images flooding his mind. He propped himself against the railings as he tried not to think, about anything, really. He didn’t want to think, not for a while at least. It just felt like everything was going _so_ wrong these past few days; with the visions and then the Commander... even Mitotiani Citlalin was coming back this year...

After some time of doing nothing in particular, he absentmindedly climbed the railings to balance on them, only so he would have _something_ to occupy himself with. He paced on them back and forth, and he couldn’t be sure of how much time had passed before he heard a voice behind him.

“You’re... up early?” Jee spoke up uncertainly, and Zuko couldn’t help the sense of déjà vu that washed over him as he turned around to face the man.

“Yeah, I am,” he easily acknowledged, because he actually was this time. 

“Oh,” the man slightly faltered, “uh, then, why _are_ you awake?” he hesitantly asked, making Zuko snort. _‘Turns out, being constantly bombarded with dreams of your family burning alive can do that to a person,’_ he so badly wanted to snap, but thought better of it.

“How about this: _you_ don’t ask me any questions, and I don’t interrogate you on why _you’re_ up so early either. Sound good?” he said instead in a flat voice. That had Jee immediately taking a few steps back and breaking eye contact.

“O-of course, I hadn’t meant to offend-” he babbled on as he looked around for an escape. _‘Oh to Koh’s lair with it!’_ Zuko thought as he lost what little patience his sleep deprived mind could possibly muster. (It wasn’t as if going along with Fire Nation ignorance mattered anymore, anyways; Commander Zhao had no doubt declared a hunt for a mortal with dragon’s fire by this point.)

“You know I’m not a spirit, right?! Stop being afraid of me already!” he finally yelled at the Lieutenant as he dropped down from the railings. His screaming, along with the sudden movement, obviously did not in anyway convince the man in front of him, only scaring him further as his searching eyes became panicked. Zuko slapped himself as he let out a frustrated groan. “Ugh! Okay, look,” he took a deep breath, “sometimes some people just have unique fire. Like your Princess! She has blue fire, doesn’t she?” he asked Jee, speaking as calmly and slowly as he could manage. The man let out a startled laugh at that.

“What? Like she’s not _your_ Princess too?” he said back almost hysterically and Zuko had to stop himself from abusing his forehead any further. He really was bad at this whole “convince people you’re not a spirit” thing, wasn’t he.

“Hey, I asked first! Does Fire Princess Azula have blue fire or no?” he asked again firmly with a hard stare that Jee couldn’t ignore.

“Of course, she does!” he answered with conviction.

“Is she a spirit?” he questioned the Lieutenant further. Jee remained silent for a beat before responding.

“No...”

“Exactly. So why do you honestly believe that _I’m_ a spirit?” he demanded to know. Jee’s shoulders relaxed as he lost his stiffened posture, and he turned to look back at Zuko somewhat apologetically.

“That- was just what I had been told about- about rainbow fire,” he admitted, “I, apologize for my assumptions,” he said, and he sounded genuine, too, but Zuko stubbornly turned his gaze away with a huff, anyhow. They only spoke again once Jee could reclaim his nerve. 

“Kid, I really am sorry. For needlessly fearing you all these years. Listen, why don’t we, I don’t know,” he trailed off a bit with a shrug, “start over and get to know each other a bit? Maybe practice firebending together, later today?” he offered. Zuko wanted to refuse the Lieutenant, wanted to continue screaming at him, but then he remembered why he was still even on the Wani, along with his uncle’s words to him; how Uncle Iroh trusted the Wani’s crew, how he wanted to teach them fire’s true meaning one day, how Zuko should give them an actual chance now that he was stuck here for the time being. He sighed, before looking at the man with a slight smile that was only a little forced.

“Yeah, we could do that.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jee let out a slight grunt as he lost his balance and fell down on his hands yet again as unnaturally colourful fire went flying just above his head (without singeing even a _single_ strand of hair, oddly enough).

“Hey, you’re getting better!” Zuko said to him and Jee let out a humiliated snort at that. The _teenager_ he was training with was telling _him_ , a middle aged military man, that he was doing better... It wasn’t as if his words were uncalled for or anything, he _had_ won every single one of their duels so far, but honestly, did the rest of the crew seriously have to come up onto the deck as well to watch their training session? Jee knew he would never live down the snickering he could hear from behind. _‘It’s not like they would fare any better!'_ he bitterly thought as he wished to see his treacherous shipmates challenge this stupidly powerful kid and watch them, too, lose miserably against him. Now _that_ would feel cathartic!

“Come on then! Again!” Zuko called out, snapping Jee out of his vengeful daydreams. A few of his crew mates yelled out their approval. He heaved out a breath, before straightening his back in renewed determination. Zuko smirked at that as he got back into his own firebending stance. 

However, before either of them could start blasting off their flames, the deck beneath them shifted and they, as well as a good portion of the crowd behind them, were very suddenly thrown off their feet and to one side of the ship. Jee looked up at the Wani’s tower as Zuko stated the obvious.

“Someone’s changing our course!” 

They quickly ran to the top to see what the problem was, only to find Fire Prince Iroh, playing Pai Sho with their cook as Tomoe shot the retired general a questioning look. “Your highness, what is the matter? Why have we changed course?” he asked his prince with a bow, while Zuko simply folded his arms in a bold act of total _disrespect_. (Jee was of course used to it all at this point, but even still!)

“I assure you, it is a matter of utmost importance, Lieutenant Jee,” he answered.

“Like what?” Zuko questioned informally, sounding... strangely panicked?

“It seems that I have lost my lotus tile,” the prince said as he moved a piece across the gaming board and Jee tried his best to hide his bemusement at that.

“Lotus tile?” the kid repeated with an honest to Agni _laugh_.

“For my Pai Sho game. Most people think the lotus tile is insignificant, but it is essential for-”

“’-the unusual strategy that you employ’, yeah yeah, I’ve heard it all before.” Di- did this kid seriously just interrupt _the Fire Prince_? Just like that?! Where did he even get the guts to do something like- well, that! Before Jee could have an actual full-blown panic attack, Zuko continued speaking. “Uncle Iroh, have you checked your sleeve for it?” The extremely powerful, extremely dangerous _prince of their nation_ blinked at the kid a couple of times before doing just that, then looking back at them both with a sheepish grin.

“Well,” he said with a chuckle, “what do you know. It really was there the whole time!” he happily announced as he pulled the round stone out.

“That’s just great!” Zuko said back with sarcasm evident in his voice. “So we changed course for no reason at all?” he asked rhetorically.

“Pretty much,” Fire Prince Iroh responded casually and the kid _rolled his eyes at him!_ “But that doesn’t mean this will be a waste of time! Quite the contrary, actually, as I am certain we can find some great bargains at the nearing port. Why, perhaps you could even join me?” he offered to Zuko, who quietly huffed.

“It’s not like there’s really a point to return to course now, so whatever, sure,” he agreed apathetically. 

“I’m lucky to have such an understanding nephew,” Iroh stated with a smile as he returned to his game. Zuko just turned around without another word to the prince.

“Come on Jee,” he spoke without looking, “let’s just go back to training,” he said as he walked out the room. 

Jee could do nothing but mutely follow the kid as he questioned his entire life.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“For the last time, I am not learning to play the tsungi horn!” Zuko snapped with a shout as a crew member promptly carried the offensive “musical” instrument off to the Wani.

“But Zuko,” his uncle continued to pester, “we’ve already bought it. All I ask is for you to give it a try.”

“Well I guess you shouldn’t have bought it then! Forget it, wasting my breath on that torture device would be an insult to myself,” he said with conviction, and Uncle Iroh just shook his head at him before finding some other store to loot.

“Oh, this place looks promising!” he declared with a finger pointing at the docked wooden ship as he practically dragged Zuko towards it. Spirits, couldn’t he just realize how unenthused he was and let him go already?! Well, at least his uncle had been right, he would admit that much, this place _did_ sell some pretty fascinating stuff. Then again, nothing lesser could be expected from pirates, he supposed.

 _‘Finally, he picked somewhere interesting!’_ he thought as he looked over some golden cuffs. They definitely looked Uncle Ham Ghao’s style, alright... Not that he would be willing to buy items that were clearly stolen, but hey, he could still appreciate them, right?

“Oh, that is handsome!” he heard Uncle Iroh say as he picked up a spine-chillingly creepy monkey statue. “Wouldn’t it look magnificent in the galley?” he asked Zuko. He quickly swiped the thing from his uncle before putting it back into place.

“Absolutely not!” he hissed out (both because of the sellers and the item itself), which made Uncle Iroh pull a face. He didn’t have the time to argue though, as a group of armed pirates came inside the shop then.

“We lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with,” one of them reported to the captain. They both faltered at that, only to quickly share a look that conveyed it all. _“Little bald monk”_ could only be referring to one person, and there was no way Zuko would be letting these thieves endanger the kid. Besides, even if they weren’t actually the Avatar, it wasn’t as if he was going to be taking any chances.

“Come on, Uncle Iroh, let’s go. The Wani will be leaving any minute now,” he said, so that their sudden departure would come off as less suspicious. When one of the pirates looked as if they were ready to try and convince them otherwise, Zuko shot them an annoyed glare, which had them swiftly shutting their mouth.

Once they were outside on the deck, he searched around to make sure no one would see him, before discretely blasting off small lines of flame at the ropes tying down the ship’s two front sails, then to the sail at the very back too, just to be completely sure the Avatar and their companions would be safe. Uncle Iroh glanced at him as he made to follow him down to the port.

“What?” he asked at his questioning eyes. “They were pirates! They deserved it,” he told his uncle nonchalantly, who simply let out a slight hum at his justification.

~~~~~~~~~~~

_“We need you, Aang.”_

_“We need you.”_

_“We need you,” they said to him, over and over. They spoke in Gyatso’s voice, and Katara’s voice, though Aang swore he could hear a bit of Sokka, and Bumi, and Kuzon and all the other Nomads, too. His old friends and family mixed with his new, disorienting him as thunder boomed and lightning crackled behind him. He desperately tried to steer Appa in the storm, but it wasn’t enough,_ he _wasn’t enough. Appa needed him and so did everyone else he loved, and yet he plummeted into the freezing waters anyway and he sank and he sank and he let everything and everyone_ burn-

Then suddenly, it’s all over and he’s back in reality as he startles Momo awake, who promptly wakes the rest of the group as well.

“What’s going on?” Sokka asks drowsily. “Did we get captured again?”

“It’s nothing. I just had a bad dream,” he responds. “Go back to sleep,” he says as he turns his back on them... _‘I turned my back on them, just like I did before, just like I surely will again-!’_

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” It was moments like these that Aang was really glad for Sokka’s social insensitivity and obliviousness.

“Are you all right, Aang?” And moments like these were when he really would rather not have to deal with Katara’s compassion and worry.

“I’m okay,” he answered simply, not wanting to open up any further on the matter.

“You seem to be having a lot of nightmares lately. You want to tell me about it?” Katara offered, and Aang thought that, maybe, she had the right idea and he really should talk to them- but, no.

“I think I just need some rest,” he lied instead, just like how he had lied when they first met-

“You guys want to hear about my dream?” Sokka asked, mercifully interrupting his thoughts. “That’s okay. I didn’t want to talk about it anyway,” he dishonestly claimed after a bit, with Katara no doubt glaring at him all the while. He laid back down, and so did Katara.

Aang just did his best to empty his mind of everything. He knew sleep wouldn’t come to him again today.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“There is a storm coming. A big one,” Fire Prince Iroh told them, making Jee lose his firebending form. He and Zuko had been practicing together, as had become routine for them in the past few weeks, when the retired general had come on deck to give his very sudden warning. Zuko put out his flames at that, then licked a single finger and put it up in the air before nodding his head.

“Uncle Iroh’s right,” he confidently backed up the prince, and at Jee’s look of confusion he explained. “Just feel the air around us. There’s no wind.” He did as he was told, and found Zuko to be truthful. The sky was clear and blue, and Jee couldn’t feel even the slightest of breezes. It was quite literally the calm before the storm.

“The storm is approaching from the north. I suggest we alter our course and head southwest. I believe there is a quaint village we could stop by, where we could dock and restock instead, correct?” the prince asked Jee, and he quickly confirmed.

“Yes, Sir, there is a small colony, just to the west of the ruins of Taku.” For some reason, Zuko stiffened at this.

“Ruins of Taku...” he mumbled, “you mean the ones near Pohuai Stronghold?!” he rasped out with badly concealed horror as he turned to the prince. “Uncle Iroh, are you sure about this?” The man nodded gravely, seemingly understanding Zuko’s baseless fears.

“I’m afraid so. This would be the best course of action for all of our safety,” he said seriously, and for the life of him Jee couldn’t see how any of this was all that big of a deal. Pohuai was a Fire Nation stronghold, one of the very best at that, what reason did the kid have to be nervous?

“Okay, let’s do what you say...” Zuko eventually agreed with a defeated sigh, and Jee immediately went up to the tower to report to Helmsman Tomoe.

~~~~~~~~~~~

He ran away. 

Aang had ran away again. He had turned his back on his friends again, just like he had done before, and _just like he knew he would have_. Just like that old fisherman had said he already did. He had ran away, and he knew this wouldn’t be the last time, because Aang was a coward. He was nothing but a selfish coward who couldn’t do what was needed of him, who had up and disappeared, who had let them all _burn_...

“I’m sorry for running away,” he whispered to the surely restless spirits of his people, who would never properly be at peace, and who he could never even truly apologize to. They would never hear him... He hadn’t realized the person behind him, right at the entrance of the cave, and _they_ didn’t realize that he wasn’t talking to them.

“It’s okay. That fisherman was _way_ out of line,” Katara falsely reassured him in her ignorance. _‘Even that is my fault, isn’t it,’_ Aang told himself.

“Actually, he wasn’t,” he finally admitted to his friend, because he couldn’t do it anymore. He wanted to tell someone, he _had_ to tell someone! Please...

“What do you mean?” Katara asked in actual surprise, and- no. No, no, no, Aang couldn’t do this! He couldn’t tell the truth; that it really was all his fault. He couldn’t lose Katara, too! All he had left were her, Sokka, Appa and Momo. He couldn’t lose a fourth of his new life when his old one was gone, burned and decayed, and _he could never get it back._

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he denied his friend, just like he had done that morning with his-

“It has to do with your dream, doesn’t it?” Exactly. She put a hand on his shoulder. “Talk to me,” she said, and in such a genuine tone... Maybe she wouldn’t abandon him if he did tell her.

“Well, it’s kind of a long story,” he claimed, and it kind of was the truth this time.

Suddenly, Momo ran off his shoulder and past the both of them, and they looked towards the entrance to see Appa entering the cave, soaking wet. When had it even started to rain...?

Appa, another fourth of his life, nuzzles him then, and Aang can’t help his smile as he pats his friend’s chin. “I’m going to get a little fire going,” his other friend tells him. Maybe he really could do this, after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“You ran away,” she understood.

Katara understood now; how the Avatar had vanished, how Aang had gotten stuck in that iceberg... _why_ he had gotten stuck in that iceberg. It was all so horrible, and she could guess how he felt about it. She could imagine all that guilt and pent up shame, and how it was eating her friend from the inside out. He just confirmed all her suspicions with his next words.

“And then the Fire Nation attacked our temple. They attacked all the temples. My people needed me and I wasn’t there to help,” he said, and Katara could hear the self hatred in his voice.

“You don’t know what would have-” she tried to begin.

“The world needed me and I wasn’t there to help,” he interrupted.

“Aang...”

“The fisherman was right!” he yelled, but Katara could tell that what he really meant was _‘I was right!’_ , because he was already convinced of his own blame. “I did turn my back on the world!” No, he couldn’t say that about himself! She refused to watch her friend tear himself down like this.

“You’re being too hard on yourself. Think about it, Aang! If you had stayed, then the Fire Nation would have killed you along with all the other Air Nomads,” she reasoned.

“You don’t know that...” Aang stubbornly countered.

“Do I have to _know_? You said it before yourself, to Sokka, that you were just a kid. You just told me that you hadn’t had any real training when you left. The attacks on the temples must have happened soon after you left. The firebenders were powered by Sozin’s Comet that day,” she explained, trying to make her friend see that the situation was rigged from the start; that staying could have made things so much worse.

“Well, I could have gone into the Avatar state!” he yelled again, their little fire once more rising with his voice to scorch the cave’s ceiling.

“So that the Fire Nation could have killed you and _permanently ended the Avatar cycle_?!” she argued back, screaming herself to get her point across. The flames once again died down, and Aang collapsed in on himself as he held onto his own legs for comfort.

“I need _someone_ to blame for this, Katara,” he told her, and in such a broken and quiet voice, too. Katara had trouble believing that this truly was the happy and hopeful child she had saved from that iceberg; the same child who had gone penguin sledding with her, who had changed their course to the North Pole just to ride some elephant koi, who had taught her how to have fun again when the war had made her forget it all. _‘Has he really been hiding his own pain all this time and I haven’t noticed before?’_ Katara wondered to herself. She scooted over to her friend’s side to hug him.

“Aang, the only ones to blame for all of this are the Fire Nation, and the Fire Nation _alone_. They’re the ones who started the war in the first place! And they’re the ones who killed your people. None of this is your fault. Please understand this,” she assured him, and if he refused to believe his own innocence now, then she would just reassure him over and over until he would be ready to face the truth. She heard him sniffle, and then he was hugging her back.

“Thank you, Katara,” he whispered shakily, but Katara didn’t mind the lack of confidence. This was just his first step to healing, whatever that could possibly mean for him, she knew. A comfortable quiet settled between them, but it was broken, almost as soon as it had been established, by someone’s screams.

“Help! Oh, please help!” the woman they had met at the dock called out pleadingly. She quickly came to the woman’s side to help her into the cave.

“It’s okay. You’re safe,” she told the elder.

“But my husband isn’t,” the woman responded, and Katara felt her heart skip a beat.

“What do you mean? Where’s Sokka?” she asked while hiding her panic as much as she could.

“They haven’t returned! They should be back by now! And this storm is becoming a typhoon! They’re caught out at sea!” Aang very suddenly stood up at the woman’s words and flew onto Appa.

“I’m going to find him!” he spoke with determination.

“I’m going with you!” Katara told him as she climbed onto Appa herself.

“I’m staying here,” the old woman declared as she sat down next to the fire.

“We’ll be back soon. I promise,” Aang said, and then, with a speedy “Yip-yip!”, they were off.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It was close to sundown, or at least Zuko assumed it was, because even when they had changed course to escape the storm, the skies were still bleak and cloudy, with thunder roaring and lightning flashing every once in a while. They had all collectively decided to stay for at least a day in the small colony due to the weather, and so, Zuko was taking a little stroll through unnervingly Fire Nation roads as the Wani’s crew were busy restocking. He of course hadn’t brought Druk along, he couldn’t possibly take such a huge risk.

He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on a couple of merchants’ conversation, but then he heard the words “Avatar” and “Commander Zhao” used in the same sentence. He quickly hid himself behind a building to listen on, his heart pounding as if trying to escape his chest.

“It’s Admiral Zhao now, actually,” one of the merchants corrected the other in an unimpressed tone.

“Seriously? When did _he_ of all people get a promotion?” _He got a promotion._ The one man who had both the power and the knowledge to hunt Zuko down had even more authority now. This- this was not okay!

“Oh, supposedly a week or so ago. Anyways, so yeah, the colonel of the place had to give the Yuyan archers to the guy, and they apparently captured the Avatar.”

“Please! You don’t actually expect me to believe that hogwash, do ya?” the merchant replied mockingly and was met with a snort of agreement. Zuko didn’t care for their scepticism though, as he ran back to the ship as fast as possible, not bothering in the slightest to make sure he wasn’t noticed, and even somewhat tripping in his haste.

The Avatar was their one and only hope of defeating the Fire Nation and restoring balance. They were the world’s only hope. Zuko couldn’t allow for them to be kept prisoner, for them to disappear on them all again. If ensuring the war’s eventual end meant risking himself, risking his people’s secrecy, risking it all... then so be it. He’d do it. For the world’s sake.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“What? No! Don’t leave, frogs! My friends are sick and they need you! Please go back to being frozen!” Aang pleaded with the creatures as he struggled uselessly against the chains. How had it all even come to this? One minute he was simply struggling along towards a swamp, with the mission of finding frozen frogs of all things to cure Katara and Sokka, and then the next, he was captured, chained and thrown in a cell. He was captured... His friends were sick with something possibly deadly, and the Fire Nation had finally caught him. How was he ever going to get out of _this_ mess...? 

That’s when he heard something from behind the door, and he stopped his fruitless struggling to listen closer. There was the whooshing of flames, and then a scream, swiftly cut short by a heavy thunk. It was silent again after that, but only for a second, before there was a clicking sound as somebody quickly opened and closed back his cell’s door.

They were dressed in full black from head to uh- ankle (why were they barefoot?), with a hood over their already covered head and a scarf around their neck. As they turned around, the only part of them Aang could actually make out under all their clothing were their eyes (well, minus their feet that is). The person extravagantly pulled out two swords then. Two very, _very_ sharp swords.

He screamed. He screamed for all he was worth and closed his eyes when the person was fully in front of him. He grimaced slightly as he screamed on, but he felt no pain. Instead of feeling those blades slashing through him, he heard the clanking of his chains as they fell down. He opened his eyes, only to find his arms free to move. He looked back at the person, and couldn’t help his slight flush of embarrassment at their single raised brow. The person beckoned him, and Aang obeyed as he stretched out his arms forward so that the dual swords could cut through the manacles around his wrists. The ones chaining down his legs got the same treatment.

“Who are you?” he asked the person as they stared at one another. Their eyes were golden, and Aang thought he had seen such eyes before, but just exactly _where_ he had, he couldn’t pin point it. They brought him a comfort he couldn’t quite explain. “What’s going on? Are you here to rescue me?” The person’s eyes softened considerably as they nodded, before they sheathed their blades and sharply turned around to make their way outside. Aang willingly followed them as a smile stretched across his face. _‘And here the angry sideburns guy had said nobody would come for me!’_ he thought as he stepped out of the cell.

He found a single guard, bound and gagged, with the three other guards no where to be found. He was just going to exclaim how _amazing_ it was that this person had done all of this, seemingly on their own too, when he heard a croak.

“My frogs!” he yelled instead. “Come back! And stop thawing out!” As he fell on his knees to try and catch the frogs, he felt a firm grasp on his arm that roughly pulled him along. “Wait! My friends need to su-!” He was silenced by a hand on his mouth, and he looked up at his rescuer. They gave him a stern look as they pulled their hand back. Right, they still needed to break out of this place, and it wouldn’t do to alert everyone else with his screaming. Aang would just have to get more frogs once they were actually safe and out of this place. “Sorry!” he whisper shouted, and the person nodded in approval before fully letting him go.

They cautiously walked down the halls for a bit, but then the person stopped in their tracks and pointed upwards. Aang followed the finger, and found a half opened vent above them. So that’s how they had sneaked around inside this place! He quickly airbended himself up, only to look back down in confusion when he didn’t find any rope his rescuer could climb.

“How are you-?” He wasn’t able to finish the question, for the person jumped in the air to propel themselves up then, and smoothly took hold of the edge. They got inside the vent with only their hands and arms to support their body, and swiftly closed the lid shut behind them. Aang couldn’t find it in himself to be impressed at their upper strength, because he really did know those eyes, he realized. Those were _Kuzon’s_ eyes...

But that fire _definitely_ hadn’t been Kuzon’s. It was... spirits, Aang didn’t even know what to think about those flames! He thought he had heard somewhere that blue fire was possible to bend, but this person’s fire; with so many colours, with such... _life?_ (Was that even the right word?) It was incredible, and Aang thought that maybe this person was some sort of spirit-! And then he was being shaken and he looked up to find questioning and slightly worried eyes staring him down.

“You’re incredible...” he whispered out before he could stop himself, which pulled a surprised chuckle out of the person as they shook their head in apparent exasperation. They turned around without another glance at him, and started crawling through the ventilation system. Aang made to do the same.

As he was inching his way along the metal walls, he came to the realization that this person, they were good (they had to be if they were helping him escape, right?) and they were also a firebender. This person was a _good firebender!_ They were powerful too, maybe even a master, if their brilliant flames were anything to go by. He had never before met a firebender who could propel themselves into the air like that either. Aang wondered then, if maybe this person, well, could they-?

His rescuer jumped down all of a sudden, and Aang dragged himself along the remaining way before he, too, dropped down onto the ground. He looked around, and noticed that they were at the very back of the stronghold, mostly hidden from all the soldiers no doubt converging on the other side.

The person looked back at him before running towards the inner most wall, and Aang noticed the single rope hanging from above. He quickly followed the firebender, easily outrunning them as an airbender, and began climbing the rope. Just as he had reached about halfway through, with his rescuer close behind him, an alarm sounded off.

“There, on the wall!” a soldier called out, and another one quickly appeared above them to cut off their escape. They fell down, and while Aang used his airbending to break his fall, the person did the same with their fire. He only had a second to acknowledge that _the fire didn’t burn him_ , because then the guards that had cornered them all faltered in... fear? Weird.

“It’s a spirit!” one of them screamed out in horror. Oh. Yeah, if that was the case, their fear did make sense, he supposed.

Before either he or the stronghold guards could so much as react, his rescuer suddenly shot two synchronized balls of flame towards the guards at the very top of the wall. The ones who had been aimed at fell down as they lost their balance, while all the other soldiers gathered at the top either ran or just _jumped down themselves_. The firebender, who was very possibly actually a spirit, once again blasted themselves up and landed neatly on the inner wall. They made a gesture for Aang to follow them, and he did so as he, too, flew up.

“You idiots!” he heard someone scream out then, and when he chanced a glance, he saw angry sideburns guy on one of the ornate balconies looking over the stronghold. “That’s no spirit! Close the gates and catch them!” So they weren’t a spirit. But how could Zhao possibly know that?

With the admiral’s words, the guards managed to snap out of their fear as the ones remaining on the wall surrounded them, their weapons raised for combat. The... spirit(?) pulled out their own dual weapons at that. 

Wait, did spirits even use mortal weaponry? Aang couldn’t recall ever hearing of such a case, but then again, he _was_ pretty ignorant of spirit stuff, and, hey, maybe things had just changed in the span of a hundred years- 

“Woah!” he let out as he barely dodged a spear headed his way. He grabbed hold of the weapon and then let out a strong gust of wind to throw the guard off the wall and away from himself. He broke off the spear’s tip and turned to the firebender, who was busy fending off soldiers themselves.

“Hop on!” he called out to them as he started spinning the stick between his hands. His new friend understood and listened to him as they jumped so that he could catch them in the air and- okay, maybe this was a mistake, because wow, were they heavy! Aang struggled to keep afloat, and it only became that much harder when the guards below started firing their spears towards them. At least his rescuer could knock the projectiles away with their swords, but even then all the ruckus really messed up his balance.

Just as they were about to make it to the second wall, Aang felt his muscles and chi finally give into the exhaustion, but they were so close-!

And then a mighty blast of flames shot them high into the sky again, and they passed the second wall with no problems as they flew above the outer most courtyard. They easily made it about midway through thanks to his friend, but, firebending master or no, they still couldn’t keep up something like this for too long it would seem.

Their flames started to falter, and Aang tried to take over for them, he really did, but he was still so tired-!

The fires died down completely, and Aang couldn’t compensate for the lost energy in time, so they fell, just in front of the outer most stronghold gate, too.

His friend immediately got in front of him, their dual swords held in warning. Guards once again surrounded them, their fists raised towards them both. Four of them shot off single simultaneous fire blasts, but before Aang could do anything himself, the firebender quickly raised an _actual wall of fire_. The wall ate the projectiles headed their way, but then it was swiftly put out as his friend let out a barely audible gasp. Right, of course. Aang didn’t think his rescuer could have fully recovered from their chi exhaustion just yet, and summoning a wall of flames couldn’t possibly be an easy task either.

“Hold your fire!” Admiral Zhao screamed out then, before he walked with only slightly speedy steps to stand in front of them. He smugly smirked with a terrifying malice at his friend, and Aang could imagine the glare he was getting in response. “So _you’re_ the filthy little traitor from the Fire Temple.” Wait, the Fire Temple? What did that place have to do with anything? Unless... this person had already helped him before...!

“A traitor and the Avatar; all in one day. What more could I ask for!” he taunted with an obnoxious confidence to his voice, and Aang found himself sending his own glare in the man’s direction. “I would have the guards burn you to a crisp right here and now, just the way you deserve, but we need the Avatar alive, so-” 

Admiral Zhao wasn’t allowed to finish his mocking, because his rescuer suddenly rolled backwards to stand behind him then, and Aang found two sharp blades at his throat in mere seconds. He thought he heard a soft apology and reassurance in his ear. He still gulped either way.

His, uh- rescuer? Or were they technically his captor, now?... The intruder and Admiral Zhao stared off for what felt like forever to Aang, but then Zhao got a gleam in his eyes that made his skin crawl, and he ordered the gate to be opened through gritted teeth.

“Admiral, what are you doing?” one officer asked in shock.

“Let them out, now!” he yelled in response, and Aang could hear heavy clicking behind him as he was slowly walked backwards, swords still firm under his chin. Once they were a good fifty or so metres away from the stronghold, he heard his new friend talk to him clearly for the first time.

“The archers are going to try and shoot me down. Create a dust cloud on my mark, and then run up to the trees as fast as you can. Got it?” they asked in a serious voice.

“Yeah...” he answered, and he would have nodded too, if he could.

They got a little farther away from the gate before his rescuer stopped walking completely.

“Ready,” they ordered, and then a short moment later the blades were pulled away as suddenly as they had trapped him. “Now!” 

Aang quickly followed his instructions, and just in time as well, for he heard a very faint whooshing sound as he and his friend started sprinting into the forest. Being an airbender, it was all in his very nature as he climbed up a tree as high as he could. His rescuer, however, surprised him with just how agile _they_ were too as they followed him up to the tallest and most well hidden branches. They jumped from tree to tree together, until they couldn’t hear the shouts of soldiers anymore, and then the both of them collapsed against a tree trunk once they were sure that they had finally gotten away.

Aang allowed his rescuer to gasp for their breath for a little while, before he nimbly jumped down to hug them. His new friend’s reflexes were the only thing that saved the both of them from falling down the tree.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! You were amazing! I’m Aang, what’s your name?” he let out excitedly, all in a single breath, as he pulled away.

“You, uh- weren’t bad yourself. Zuko. I mean, my name! I’m Zuko,” his new friend, _Zuko_ , floundered out in a muffled voice. He pulled down his hood and took his head covering off so that Aang could finally see his face. He was pretty, uh... sweaty, which was understandable all things considered, but still kind of disgusting. He shook his head to somewhat fix his hair, before he sat down on their shared branch. Aang followed him down.

“So,” Zuko tried to start, “you’re the Avatar, huh,” he said without looking at him, and Aang felt his guts twist painfully. “Listen, I know this isn’t right to ask, we’ve just met and all, but- I have to know, okay! What happened to you?” he asked as he turned to face him. Aang broke eye contact.

“I’m sorry...” he whispered, but then he felt a hand squeezing his shoulder in comfort.

“Look at me,” his new friend told him, and only spoke again once Aang had done so. “What’s happened is over and done with, and none of us can change it. There’s no point to dwell on it any further. I just want to know _what_ it was that caused you to vanish,” he explained himself. He didn’t _look_ angry... Aang still turned away, looking forward instead of anywhere near Zuko.

“I ran away,” he began. “I ran away and then got caught in a storm. I went into the Avatar state and trapped myself in an iceberg until my friends saved me.” It was silent for a bit. 

“... _When_ did you ran away, though?” Zuko questioned, disbelief evident in his voice.

“Before the Fire Nation attacked the Air Temples,” Aang confirmed to his friend.

“You were stuck in there for _a hundred years_?!” he bellowed out. “So that’s why-” he quickly cut himself off, and then Aang felt arms embrace him. “I- don’t even know what to say to that! I’m so sorry...” Aang hugged him back as he felt all tension between them die down.

“Thanks. For everything, really.” Zuko met him with a smile as they both pulled back. “So, what’s _your_ story? I doubt you’re really a spirit, after all,” he spoke with a slight laugh, which Zuko easily returned.

“I’m a Sun Warrior,” he said simply, and his face quickly fell at Aang’s confusion. “Wait, you don’t know about us?” 

“No, sorry,” he shook his head. Zuko let out a fierce blast of colourful flames downward, scorching the grass. (What, _now_ his fire burned?)

“Don’t be!” he screamed out. “This is Sozin’s doing, all of it!” he hissed in rage, before taking a few deep, calming breaths. “The Sun Warriors are the ancestors of the Fire Nation. We were the original firebending mortals, and _they_ came from _us!_ Then Fire Lord Sozin came along and erased thousands of years of our history, before trying to eradicate us all when he began the Hundred Year War with Mito- with _his comet!_ ” he explained, practically seething out the last part. “We were known as the spiritual siblings of the Air Nomads,” he finished solemnly, and Aang swore the world froze for a second.

There was a forgotten society of firebenders. There was a hidden society of _good_ firebenders, on _his_ side, and they were _the Nomads’ spiritual siblings_. They were Aang’s spiritual siblings! And they had survived the Fire Nation! But- he had never heard of them before. How? Why...? Sozin. It was all because of him. Just like with his own people... No wonder Zuko had been so understanding.

“Really?! You- that’s...!” he trailed off as words seemed to fail him. “I- I’m so glad I could meet you,” he finally managed to say with a smile. He was so relieved when Zuko smiled back at him, even if it wasn’t as assured as it could be.

“Yeah, I am, too.” 

A comfortable silence settled in between them, but Aang couldn’t hold in his curiosity for much longer, so it didn’t last very long.

“About your fire...” he began, and Zuko seemed to immediately catch on to his question.

“It’s dragon’s fire,” he said as he lit a tiny flame above his left hand. “Any other fire in the mortal world soothes and burns at the same time, and never either one or the other alone. But not the one of our original masters. These flames obey the wills of their wielders,” he told Aang as he brought the fire closer to him. Trusting Zuko’s words, he touched it, and the sparks licked at his fingers as they warmed him. He looked back down on the blackened grass under them, while his hand remained where it was.

“Well, that does explain a lot,” he remarked, making Zuko snort. He looked back at his friend with half pleading, half awestruck eyes. “Will you be my firebending teacher?” His sudden request had Zuko startling. Badly. He lost control of the flame as it shot into the sky, consuming Aang's entire hand (still not hurting, though), before he got it together again to put out the fire instead.

“I- uh, wha- Aang,” he stuttered out, “just, how far are you into mastering the four elements anyways?!” he asked.

“I’m a master airbender!” he said happily as he pointed at his arrow. “And, um- I’m going to the North Pole to learn waterbending?” he continued sheepishly. Zuko’s eyes widened impossibly.

“No. I can’t teach you firebending!” he exclaimed with conviction. “At least, not until you’ve mastered water and earth I can’t!” he added desperately at Aang’s pout.

“So you will teach me?” Aang smiled hopefully.

“I, guess I- can, sure.” 

“Great!” he chirped as he sprang into the air to drop down from the branch. “Come on, then! I can’t wait to introduce you to Katara and Sokka and-”

“Aang, wait!” Zuko interrupted him. “I agreed to be your eventual teacher. This doesn’t mean I can come to the North Pole with you!” he explained in a slight panic. Aang looked back at him as he lost the spring to his steps.

“You can’t?” But why?

“I have other people I need to go back to.” Oh. That did make sense. _‘Of course he does. Why wouldn’t he?’_ he mentally berated himself. He flew back up to the branch.

“So, this is goodbye?” he asked sadly. Zuko nodded back.

“For now at least.” Aang hugged him one last time.

“I’ll miss you,” he voiced out.

“Take care of yourself,” Zuko responded. Take care...oh spirits, Katara and Sokka! They were still sick.

“You too,” he said as he dropped back down in a hurry. But even then, he still couldn’t help himself from looking back one last time, before fully sprinting to the swamp to retrieve more frozen frogs.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“There you are, Zuko! You almost missed music night, you know,” Uncle Iroh cheerily greeted him.

“Well, I think I _will_ miss it, actually. I’m going to bed. No disturbances,” he spoke back.

“Hey, kid. Everything alright?” Jee asked him then.

“Yeah, fine. Just tired,” he responded, wholly unconvincingly, but he really couldn’t care as he dragged himself back to his room. 

As soon as he opened his door, Druk let out a happy trill as he wrapped around him. Zuko smiled weakly at him before collapsing down on his bed. Just as he thought he would be allowed to drift off to sleep, somebody knocked on his door.

“I said no disturbances!” he screamed at the person, but despite his outburst, his uncle entered his room anyways.

“I’m sorry, Nephew. I’m just worried about you. That is all,” he told him as he closed the door behind him. He walked up to the bed, and sat down beside Zuko. “Talk to me.” 

“I rescued Aang from Pohuai Stronghold,” he sighed in a whisper.

“Who?”

“The Avatar, Uncle Iroh!”

“The Avatar?” he repeated back in shock. “You saved the Avatar, and from _Pohuai Stronghold_ of all places?!”

“The problem wasn’t Pohuai Stronghold. The Yuyan archers aren’t _that_ good with their tlahuitolli,” Zuko said with a roll of his eyes. He knew for a fact that Ohtli could easily outmatch all of those Fire Nation amateurs any day. “The problem,” he continued as he sat up to face his uncle, “was that _Admiral_ Zhao was in charge of the place.” 

“Zuko-!” his uncle let out in disbelief.

“Look, I did what I had to do, okay!” he yelled back defensively. Uncle Iroh put a hand on his shoulder to settle him down.

“I- am sure you did. Get some rest, Nephew. You need it.”

“Yeah, I know,” he agreed as he laid back down.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Suck on these. They’ll make you feel better,” Aang told his friends as he put the frogs in their mouths (ugh, gross).

“Aang, how was your trip?” Sokka asked him in his delirium. “Did you make any new friends?”

“Yeah, I think I did!” he answered as he contently laid on Appa for a little rest.

“Who?” Katara somehow managed to ask him herself.

“Oh,” he let out in hesitation, “I don’t think he’d like it if I told you myself. You’ll meet him later on, though! Promise.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hey, where’s the fishing line?” Sokka asked as the fish continued mocking him.

“Oh, I didn’t think you would need it, Sokka,” Aang replied as he held up the string, all prettied up and-

“Aw, it’s all tangled!” he let out in despair.

“Not tangled,” Aang said back as he rose to his feet. “Woven! I made you a necklace, Katara. I thought since you lost your other one...” he grinned as he put the tang- uh, “woven” fishing line on display.

“Thanks, Aang. I love it,” Katara said with a genuine smile on her face as she took the necklace. He truly did appreciate that expression on his sister’s face, but that was still _his fishing line_!

“Great, Aang. Maybe instead of saving the world, you can go into the jewellery-making business,” he joked with sarcasm.

“I don’t see why I can’t do both,” Aang responded. Sokka rolled his eyes at the kid as he shot off his spear into the water. That _spirits cursed fish_ jumped into the air, completely unharmed.

“Stop taunting me!” he screamed at it as he ran into the lake with his jawbone dagger.

“So, how do I look?” he heard Katara ask behind him, and so he turned around to, well, look. She truly was beautiful, especially with that happy grin on her face. Too bad his fishing line needed to be sacrificed for it, though!

“It looks great on you Katara! And I’m not just saying that because _I_ made the necklace, either!” Aang replied with an open laugh.

“Aw, thanks Aang!”

“Well, this is all just great, but we’re still out of a fishing line!” he interrupted their moment without shame.

“Oh, stop being a killjoy, Sokka,” Katara drily told him.

“I’m not!” Sokka denied, but before he and his sister could really begin arguing, they all heard a loud noise. Aang hurriedly leaped onto a rock at the sound, and then turned around in urgency.

“Someone’s being attacked by a platypus bear!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Well, Aang, it was very nice to meet you,” the weird little assistant girl smiled at him. “ _Very_ nice,” she emphasized as she turned and walked away.

“Likewise,” Aang replied, but in all honesty, he wasn’t really sure if this was at all truthful.

“I can’t believe we’re in the house of nonsense,” Sokka said behind him.

“Try to keep an open mind, Sokka. There are things in this world that just can’t be explained. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some insight into our future?” Katara argued, and Aang very much agreed with her. It _would_ be nice to know some things beforehand. (He himself really wanted to know when he would be meeting a certain warrior again, in particular.)

“It would be nice to have some bean curd puffs,” Sokka retorted dismissively.

“...I wonder if my true love will give _me_ a rare flower,” that Meng girl spoke up loudly then. Oh spirits, this was going to be a nightmare!

“Good luck with that,” Aang told her simply, hoping she would just get the hint. She walked up to them with Sokka’s snacks as they all sat down on the pillows. She tripped, and Aang ended up saving her from further embarrassment by catching her.

“Enjoy your snacks!” she said nervously as she handed the snacks over... to Aang. Sokka took the tray from him, and he didn’t put up a fight. He didn’t even like curd puffs all that much!

“Welcome, young travelers. Now, who’s next? Don’t be shy,” an elderly woman, Aunt Wu they had called her, greeted them then. Sokka looked away, clearly not interested, while Aang glanced over at Katara.

“I guess that’s me,” she said as she got up and went with the fortuneteller.

“Mh, not bad, not bad!” Sokka let out then, his mouth grossly full. “Mhm?” he offered a puff to him.

“I’m good on puffs,” he declined. He looked around a little bit before asking Sokka “So, what do you think they’re talking about back there?”, just so that it wouldn’t get too awkward between them.

“Boring stuff I’m sure. Love, who she’s going to marry, how many babies she’s going to have,” he answered casually.

“That doesn’t sound boring!” Aang said in defense of Katara, with a raised eyebrow at his friend.

“Of course _you’d_ be interested in that stuff.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~

“So, do you see anything interesting in my love line?” Katara asked in excitement, but Aunt Wu shook her head.

“I’m sorry dear, but your love line looks very confused. I can’t make heads or tails out of it!” she told her with honesty.

“What, you can’t tell anything? That’s a shame,” she said a bit dejected. Oh well, what could you do. Still though, she just wasn’t quite satisfied.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh my!” Aunt Wu let out in shock, “Your destiny! This is incredible. You will be involved in a great battle, an awesome conflict between the forces of good and evil. A battle whose outcome will determine the fate of the whole world!” 

“Yeah, yeah,” the child interrupted her speech then, “I knew that already. But couldn’t you see anything else?” he asked.

“Anything else?” she requested for clarification.

“Yeah! Like, something about a friend, or maybe colourful fire, or whatever?” Colourful fire, he said? That did sound somewhat familiar, but-

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t see anything,” she told him, and he looked away in disappointment.

“Well, look!” she exclaimed. “I must’ve missed something,” she lied easily. “Right here. It says ‘trust those closest to you and you will surely have them by your side’,” she made up, and in all honesty, it was one of her harder fake predictions to come up with, simply because of how vague the boy’s request was. People usually asked her about romance and such, certainly not stuff like whatever was bothering the Avatar in current time.

“Really?” the kid perked up anyways, so she considered it a success. “Thank you, Aunt Wu!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Come on, Aang, we’re going up that mountain!” Katara told him as she linked their arms together. Aang himself let out a breath of relief to be saved from Meng and her ridiculous love schemes.

“Really? Okay! Why though?” he questioned his friend.

“Oh, Aunt Wu told me it would be good luck for me to climb up there!” she answered happily. Aang thought Aunt Wu just wanted to be left alone already. Katara _had_ become pretty obsessed with fortunetelling alarmingly fast, so he really couldn’t blame the woman for tricking her like this.

Well, at least the scenery was nice.

“Hey, look at these flowers! Aren’t they pretty?” he called out to Katara, and picked one up for her too. But she didn’t respond to him. “Katara?” he asked as he walked next to her. She was standing right at the edge of the volcano... And Aang understood her silence as he looked into the crater himself. He dropped the flower, and it quickly turned to cinders. “Oh no.”

“Aunt Wu was wrong,” Katara finally spoke up.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Man, sometimes I forget what a powerful bender that kid is,” Sokka told her in amazement, and as they watched their friend fend off an entire volcano almost single-handedly, Katara very much thought the same as her brother.

“Yeah, he really is.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko had simply been out on the deck with his uncle, enjoying a cup of xocolatl while Uncle Iroh had his tea, when the entire Wani had suddenly jerked and both drinks had spilled onto the ground. He looked over with a grunt of annoyance, to where some of the ship’s crew had been practicing their firebending, just in time to watch the shirshu climb onto deck.

He had heard about the creatures many times in his travels, and he knew of them as dangerous and wild beasts, to be respected and kept away from. Yet this one had a _person_ riding on its back.

“Get back! We’re after a stowaway!” the woman yelled out to them all.

“There’s a stowaway on the ship?” he casually asked his uncle, who just shrugged in response.

The shirshu bit into the deck’s metal then, and Zuko heard the man’s scream before he saw him climb up to run away. Well, he tried to anyway, because the animal struck its tongue out at the man then, immediately paralysing him. And _this_ was exactly why one should never mess with a shirshu. Of course, it was only temporarily, the toxins would wear off in about an hour, however that was ample time for the creature to consume its prey, or in this case, for its rider to restrain her prisoner. The woman and the beast left as quickly as they had come.

“Well, I’m impressed,” he heard his uncle say next to him, but Zuko found himself distracted as he touched the Water Tribe necklace around _his_ neck. One other skill of the shirshu was their unmatched sense of smell, after all...

“Where are you going, Nephew?” Uncle Iroh asked him as he got up.

“To find _them_ ,” he said, pointing at the necklace, “and that woman’s going to help me,” he spoke with confidence.

“I could accompany-”

“No,” he swifly shot his uncle’s offer down. “You stay here. Druk is in my room, and I need you to look out for him,” he ordered in a whisper. He turned around to leave without waiting for a response.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“I need to talk to you!” some Fire Nation guy called out to June as she kept up a steady pace with her opponent.

“Do I know you?” she asked him with suspicious eyes.

“Not really, but you probably remember the ship you trashed just this morning,” he told her, and, ah yep, he was that one kid sitting in the background, wasn’t he.

“Oh, it’s you! What do you want? Repayment for your ship’s damage?” she inquired as she finally stopped beating around the bush and beat her opponent. “’Cuz I can’t really do that,” she slyly explained as she collected her earnings, “I’m a little short on money. Drinks on me!” she called out to the crowd, who happily cheered.

“No, actually, this has nothing to do with the ship. The thing’s not even mine or anything,” the kid shrugged at her.

“Then what do you want?” He pulled off the blue stoned necklace he was wearing. (It was a pretty thing, and it did kind of suit the guy, she would admit.)

“I need you to find someone,” he said as he held out the jewellery.

“Uh, I thought that thing was yours?” she asked him, only slightly mockingly.

“It’s not. I’ve simply been holding onto it, because I don’t know who it actually belongs to. _You’re_ gonna help me find them, now.” Oh great, he was one of _those_ people.

“Forget it goody two shoes,” she said, this time fully mockingly. That’s when the small table in front of her rattled dangerously. She opened the giant box the kid had thrown out, and her eyes widened, but in her defense, just who wouldn’t be shocked by _this?!_

“Changed your mind?” the guy questioned in a bored tone.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Welcome back, boy! Out for a bit of fresh air, are we?” the very probably senile old lady greeted them.

“Oh no, just looking for someone. How’s Miyuki?” the guy replied nonchalantly.

“She’s doing very well. She hasn’t gotten into any more trouble with the Fire Nation, either,” the definitely senile old woman answered as she looked down on a white cat.

“They’ve been through here,” June interrupted the two’s odd conversation. “Let’s keep moving.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why are we stopping?” Zuko asked the woman as the shirshu just walked circles in front of Aunt Wu’s building.

“Because the person must have spent a lot of time here.” Before Zuko could respond, somebody called out to him.

“Zuko!” he heard Meng’s voice.

“Hey Meng!” he said back openly.

“You’re back!” she spoke happily.

“Not for long,” he quickly clarified, “I’m just looking for someone.” Meng’s face fell into an unimpressed frown.

“Is it that Water Tribe floozy?” Zuko sent her a stern glare.

“Meng! Floozy? Seriously?!” June interjected before he could scold Meng any further.

“Ugh, is there anywhere you haven’t been?!” she let out in exasperation.

“Not really, no. If it’s in the Earth Kingdom, I’ve probably been there before,” he answered simply.

“Whatever. Nyla’s ready to leave, now.” And, with a swift kick of her leg, they were off once again.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“We’re close,” June told the guy as Nyla sprinted through the night.

“Really? Then just drop me off here. I’ll be back once I’ve returned the necklace,” he instructed her.

“Why?” she asked him as she did as he asked anyways.

“No offense, but you two don’t exactly scream ‘safe and trustworthy’. It’d be best if I did this on my own.” June scoffed at him. _‘Says the Fire Nation guy!’_ she thought. Even still, though.

“You know how to compliment a girl, I’ll give you that much,” she admitted.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“I can’t believe they would leave me,” Aang lamented to himself. That was when he heard the neighing of an ostrich horse. He looked down to find a messenger coming toward him.

“I’m looking for Bato of the Water Tribe.” Oh, hey!

“Uhh, I know Bato!”

“Make sure he gets this!” the Earth Kingdom soldier told him as he handed over the scroll. He unraveled the message curiously. It was a map!

“The map to Sokka and Katara’s dad!” This was- this... was... They were going to leave him. His friends were going to leave him! Aang found himself creasing the edges of the map in frustration, but before he could truly crumple up the piece of paper, he heard someone.

“Aang?” his friend called out to him in disbelief, and his head snapped faster than should have been possible.

“Zuko!” he yelled back in renewed happiness as he dropped down to hug the Sun Warrior. “What are you doing here?!” 

“I could ask you the same. I thought you were going to the North Pole with your friends,” he told him with a smile, but Aang’s own fell from his face with Zuko’s words.

“I am going to the North Pole... _alone_!” 

“What?” Zuko asked in confusion. “Aang, what happened?”

“My friends are leaving me. That’s what!” he bitterly said as he turned away. They were silent for a while, but then Zuko put a comforting hand on his back.

“Aang, listen, maybe, this is just a misunderstanding? You told me it was your friends who saved you from the iceberg, right? I doubt they’d just leave you now. I think you should talk to them about this.” Well, now that he thought about it... Katara still had to learn waterbending, too. And what about their conversation in the storm? Maybe Zuko had a point. Besides, Aunt Wu had told him he had to trust those closest to him...

“Yeah, I think you’re right. Thanks, Zuko,” he said as he turned back to his friend. “So, uh- why _are you_ here?” Zuko opened his mouth to speak, but then his eyes caught the Water Tribe ship behind them, and they seemed to shine in understanding before he let out a laugh.

“Your friends are from the Southern Water Tribe, aren’t they?” he asked instead with a shake of his head. It was a rhetorical question, as his friend pulled out something then without waiting for an answer. “I think this belongs to one of them.” He handed it over to Aang, and he realized-

“It’s Katara’s necklace!” he said in wonder.

“I would have returned it sooner, uh- if I had known. Um, sorry about that.” 

“Oh, that’s okay! Man, Katara’s going to be so happy!” First the map and now this? Both of his friends were going to be ecstatic!

“I’m glad. Make sure she gets it, then!” Zuko replied to him with a grin. “Well, I have to go back now. My ride’s waiting for me, and I doubt June is a very patient woman,” he said a bit sheepishly as he turned back.

“Oh,” Aang let out somewhat glumly, “okay. Goodbye, then!”

“Hey, it’s alright! We’ll see each other again,” Zuko reassured him, catching on to his soured mood. “I haven’t forgotten my promise. And besides, you were surprisingly easy to find,” he said teasingly, making Aang laugh.

He waved goodbye to his friend as he made his way back to his other ones, feeling a hundred times lighter.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hey, Aang, I didn’t notice you left,” Katara greeted casually as her friend entered the room.

“Yup, but now I’m back,” he said, sounding... slightly hesitant? Why? “With good news,” he added as he pulled out a piece of paper. Bato made his way over to him.

“It’s the map to Hakoda!” he announced, before looking back at her and Sokka. “Are you two sure you don’t want to come with me?” he asked them.

“Sorry, no can do,” Sokka said.

“Yeah, Bato. We have to take Aang and me to the North Pole. I- us learning waterbending is more important, I’m sorry-”

“No, no, no. Don’t be. I completely understand,” he assured them. “Still though,” he continued, “maybe you three could stay for at least tomorrow? We could go ice dodging together! Well, it would technically be rock dodging here, but...” he trailed off with a shrug and a smile.

“We would love to,” she told him as she shared a look with her brother. “Right, Aang?”

“Yeah, definitely!” he responded with an oddly relieved looking grin. “Oh, and Katara...” he spoke as he pulled out... her mother’s necklace?!

“Aang...!” she let out with a gasp as she practically ran to his side. “Where did you...?” He met her with a cheerful smile.

“A friend gave it to me! He asked me to make _sure_ I got it to you.”

“What, is this your mystery friend from Taku Ruins?” she said with a chuckle as she untied Aang’s fishing line necklace to once again wear her mother’s one.

“Yep!” Aang answered simply.

“Aw, that’s so sweet of him. I can’t wait to actually meet the guy,” she stated truthfully, and with a bit of a side glance in Aang’s direction (just why was he so secretive about this person, anyways?), as she laid back down on the animal hides of the room. Her friend followed to sit down next to her.

“You will, trust me.” Katara took his word for it. They all fell asleep with ease that night, looking forward to the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update took much longer than previous ones, and I'm sorry to say that from now on, all updates will probably be much slower, because my online classes will be starting soon. But also, we had a corona scare a few days back. We all got tested, and came back negative, however my dad is still legally supposed to be in quarantine for 14 days, and the rest of my family and I will be doing the same. We will also be getting tested again in about a week, just to be sure.
> 
> Anyways, serious personal shit out of the way, the tlahuitolli is what the traditional Aztec bow is called. It is wooden and usually about one and a half metre (5 feet) long. Aztec arrows, called yaomime, have bone, flint or obsidian points, and are kept in quivers called mixiquipilli. Zuko's jab at the Yuyan archers wasn't just out of pride, as Aztec warriors were incredibly talented with their tlahuitollis. In canon, Zhao said the Yuyan archers could "pin a fly to a tree from one hundred yards away without killing it" (100 yards = 91 metres or 300 feet), which is impressive and all, but Aztec warriors could shoot off yaomime roughly 140 metres (450 feet) or more!


	10. The Traitors

“This should give us a good idea of what’s around here,” Katara told him and Sokka as she walked up to the kiosk. 

“See if you can find a menu, I’m starving!” Sokka responded as he shook an empty pouch of its leftover crumbs. Aang went to take a look at the kiosk himself.

“I bet we could find something to eat here,” he pointed out with a finger, “the Fire Day’s Festival. Fire Nation cultural exhibits, jugglers, benders, magicians... It sounds fun!” he said with a beam to Katara. Sokka walked behind the kiosk to check out the other side then.

“You might wanna rethink that,” he and Katara heard him speak. “Look at this.” They followed Sokka to the back to do just that.

“Hey, a poster of me!” Awesome!

“A wanted poster!” Sokka clarified the obvious. “This is bad.” Aang simply removed the poster to read it. Katara joined his side to do the same.

“I think we better keep moving,” she said with conviction, making him falter in disappointment. He supposed she and Sokka were right, it would be pretty dangerous to stick around with a Fire Nation colony so near, but in Aang’s opinion that just made things all the more fun!

“I mean we still need dinner, don’t we? Besides, this is a festival! We could just, you know, wear disguises and nobody would have any reason to question us,” he argued, and Katara seemed swayed by his logic.

“I guess we could go check it out. And hey, maybe you could even learn a little firebending, Aang!” Oh, well, he really shouldn’t, actually. Zuko had told him he needed to master water and earth first, and Aang truly had taken his words to heart. But he couldn’t tell Katara all of this just yet, now could he.

“Oh yeah! Come on, let’s go!” he exclaimed instead.

“What?” Sokka protested in a hard tone as he moved in front of Aang. “You wanna walk into a Fire Nation town where they’re all fired-up with their... you know, fire?”

“Don’t be so paranoid, Sokka,” Katara easily dismissed him. “If it looks like trouble, we’ll leave,” she assured as she started walking towards Appa, and Aang happily followed her.

“Yeah! Because we always leave before we get into trouble.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Chey lunged forward as he stretched his hand out to stop the Avatar, however the stories he had heard about the Air Nomads turned out to be more than real, as the kid nimbly slipped away and jumped onto the stage. He put out the fire dragon, and it exploded into a rain of colourful confetti, alerting practically everyone in the festival to the Avatar’s presence. And indeed, it didn’t take long for someone to put two and two together.

“Hey! That kid’s the Avatar!” a citizen yelled out, making every single guard in the vicinity turn their head.

“I think it’s time to go,” one of the Avatar’s companions told the other two in a slight panic.

“Follow me! I can get you outta here!” Chey hurriedly beckoned them, and he let out a silent breath of relief when the trio found him trustworthy and went along. Or maybe they were just desperate. Yeah, that sounded much more likely, actually.

“There they are!” he heard a guard scream from behind, so he swiftly turned around once the Avatar and his friends had run off into an alley, and threw away a good amount of his smoke bombs at the soldiers giving chase. He quickly followed after the trio after that.

“Over there!”

“I’m calling Appa,” the Avatar called out to them at the guard’s voice, and before Chey could question who Appa was, the kid pulled out a bison whistle. So the sky bisons weren’t all extinct! There was still hope.

“I hope he can really hear that bison whistle!” his friend from before spoke up as they turned a corner into a different alley, and then Chey made another sharp turn.

“This way!” he yelled out, only to stop dead in his tracks. “Okay! Not this way!” 

He threw one of his last bombs at the group of soldiers chasing them, and they made their final turn into an alley, only to find it very much blocked off by a huge wooden deposit of fireworks. 

They were trapped. Or at least, Chey thought they were, until he heard the grunt from above.

“Appa! Down here!” the Avatar called out to the magnificent beast, and the bison landed between them and the guards gathered at the entrance of the alley, creating a powerful gust that shot the enemy away from them. They quickly got on the animal, and by the time the soldiers had managed to gather back their wits, they had already taken off. Chey decided then to use his very last remaining bomb to set off the fireworks, just as a distraction (obviously).

“Nice touch setting off the fireworks,” the Avatar said to him as they at last made it out of the colony safely. Yep, only as a distraction.

“You really know your explosives...” the guy in blue observed in an impressed tone of voice.

“I’m familiar,” Chey said as he turned around to face them, with his face mask finally removed.

“You’re a Fire Nation soldier!”

“ _Was._ My name’s Chey.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“I serve a man,” the ex-Fire Nation soldier, Chey he had called himself, started as they all huddled around their camp fire. “More than a man really, he’s a myth, but he’s real, a living legend; Jeong Jeong the Deserter. He was a Fire Nation general, or wait, was he an admiral?”

“He was very highly ranked,” her brother interrupted the man in an unimpressed tone, “we get it.”

“Yeah!” Chey easily confirmed. “Way up there! But he couldn’t take the madness any more. He’s the first person ever to leave the army- and live. I’m the second, but you don’t get to be a legend for that. That’s okay though.” The man faltered a bit at that, before continuing. “Jeong Jeong’s a firebending genius. Some say he’s mad- but he’s not! He’s enlightened.”

“You mean there’s a firebending master out here who’s not with the Fire Nation?” Katara asked in genuine curiosity and Chey answered her with a rigorous nod of his head.

“And he’s the perfect person to train the Avatar! That’s why I followed you into the festival,” he explained. Katara looked over at her friend, and was surprised when she found Aang with an apologetic frown on his face instead of an excited grin. She would have thought he would be overjoyed by this revelation.

“Oh, well, thank you for the help Chey, really, but I- don’t really think that’s a good idea. I can only begin my firebending training after I master water and then earth.” Oh yeah, of course! That made so much sense. The legends always did say the avatar had to follow the elemental cycle, in order to establish balance within themselves. No wonder Aang had looked so hesitant over at the kiosk. “Plus, we have to leave come tomorrow for the North Pole. Sorry.”

“Wow, Aang,” Sokka let out in disbelief. “You’re actually being logical for once. I’m impressed.”

“Are you sure?” Chey questioned her friend, and let out a quiet sigh at his little nod. “Very well. I better get back to the camp then, before anyone notices me missing,” he said with a slight chuckle as he got up and turned. Only to be met with a spear by his throat. 

“Bit late on that front, _old buddy_ ,” the man holding Chey hostage hissed out as more armed people surrounded their camp.

“Hey, Lin Yee,” Chey greeted, defeated.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Chey! What happened? Is everything alright?” Aang asked the man as he joined them in their cottage.

“Jeong Jeong is-” he hesitated for a split second, “-mad at me, definitely. But he has given you permission to stay for the night,” he explained, to which Sokka responded by laying back down to sleep. “And he said he wants to see you, Avatar,” Chey added.

“Why does he want to see Aang?” Katara asked, sounding somewhat alarmed. “I thought Lin Yee said he didn’t want you looking for us.”

“He didn’t. I don’t know why he’s changed his mind,” Chey admitted.

“I’m going in,” Aang told them as he made his way out of their cottage and toward Jeong Jeong’s. He paused at the entrance, and took a deep breath before parting the curtains to enter. He found the master sitting in the lotus position in semi-darkness, surrounded by a half circle of candles with his back to the door, and consequently to Aang. He couldn’t help but to think of it all as depressive and suffocating.

“Master,” he greeted as he formed his own lotus, just at the edge of the row of candles. Jeong Jeong didn’t respond, not for awhile at least.

“You have surprised me, Avatar,” he finally spoke up after what felt like minutes of just sitting there, in complete silence. “I had assumed you a fool lacking in discipline when I first saw you arrive, and yet, from what Chey has told, you are more than aware of your destiny.” Uh, what? 

“Thanks... I guess,” Aang replied, very much conflicted with the master’s weird pseudo-compliment. How could praise even sound insulting in the first place, anyways? “So, did you just want to be passive-aggressive with me, or is there an actual reason why you wanted to see me?” he couldn’t help but take the jab. The master turned around fully to face him then, and Aang noticed the scars along his face only after he had already gotten a good look of his haunted eyes.

“I have asked for you to give you knowledge- and a warning,” Jeong Jeong began with severity and Aang straightened at that. “You may know your destiny, but tell me, do you know why it is so?” At Aang’s obvious silence and clear bafflement, he continued. “There is a reason for why you, as an Avatar of the Air Nomads, must master all your other elements before you may begin firebending. Air is freeing and peaceful, water is cool and soothing, and earth is steady and stable.” _Oh_ , he meant the elemental cycle! Aang leaned in slightly to listen closer to Jeong Jeong, because _this_? Yeah, this could actually be some very important information.

“But fire,” his voice audibly darkened as he explained further, “fire is alive! It breathes, it grows. Without the bender, a rock will not throw itself! But fire will spread and destroy everything in its path, if one does not have the will to control it! That is fire’s destiny!” he screamed out, and the flames of the candles blasted themselves with his sudden and alarming rage, but only for a split second. “And that is my warning to you, Avatar. The other three elements are able to coexist with their surroundings and each other, but fire brings only destruction and pain.” Woah, woah, woah, _what?_ Jeong Jeong wasn’t... he couldn’t actually mean all that! Right?! “It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor’s edge between humanity and savagery. It is the antithesis to air’s liberation, to water’s life and to earth’s security. Remember this when you are eventually forced to cage yourself with this curse,” the master finished and, okay, wow, he really was serious with this.

“No. No, that’s not right!” Aang said back defiantly as he stood up, because he knew. He knew that Jeong Jeong’s words were incorrect, and misguided, and, just, _horrible_. A bender’s element was something precious and sacred; an inseparable part of someone that was meant to be allowed to thrive. That was what the Monks had taught him, and that was what Aang knew to be the truth. He couldn’t understand how one could ever insult any of the elements like Jeong Jeong had, and to do such a thing to one’s _own_ element, no less. How could somebody be so self hating...?

He himself loved being an airbender, it was his natural state of being, and he knew other benders weren’t any less passionate. Katara was willing to travel across the whole globe just so she could finally learn her art (and all that without having the fate of the entire world resting on her shoulders) and Zuko... well, Jeong Jeong was right about one thing, Aang would admit. Fire really was alive, and that was exactly what made it so beautiful and important to the world. 

“You’re wrong,” he told Jeong Jeong with conviction.

“And what exactly would _you_ know of fire?” the master asked him harshly with a glare and, well, if looks could kill... 

“I know about dragon’s fire!” Aang answered without hesitation, and Jeong Jeong actually seemed to pause at that. “I know how it can burn _or_ sooth at its bender’s will. And I know how full of life fire can be. That’s a _good_ thing, contrary to what you think, Master Jeong Jeong!” 

To Aang’s surprise, Jeong Jeong’s eyes actually softened at his words.

“The Air Nomads’ teachings are truly a far cry from our times, aren’t they.” It was a statement, not a question, and it almost seemed conversational in its tone.

“I didn’t learn this from the Monks. My friend was the one who taught me about dragon’s fire,” he quickly clarified, and the master’s brows rose up.

“Your... friend?”

“Yes, my _firebending_ friend. He was the one who told me the elemental cycle was this important in the first place, by the way. And he’s the one who’s going to teach me firebending when I’m ready.” Aang faced away from the master after that, and started for the door. Before he left through the curtains however, he turned around to Jeong Jeong one last time. He couldn’t make out his face in the darkness. “Please, think about what I have told you, master.” he said, and then he walked out of the cottage to return to Sokka and Katara's side.

They left first thing in the morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~

_‘Breathe in, breathe out. In, and out...’_

He held the small flame across his palm, and he took his deep, well controlled breaths, as he once more recalled the events of last night. The once revered Master Jeong Jeong, now simply known as a traitor to his people, as the Deserter, had reverted back to the simplest of firebending katas practically overnight. As he acknowledged this fact, he recalled the young Avatar’s words.

_“Fire is full of life.”_

_“Please think about what I’ve told you.”_

_“That’s a good thing.”_

That’s a good thing... He looked down on the fire, the _life_ that he had created, and he thought on it. He thought, and he tried to imagine the flames dancing atop his hand as _good_ , in any possible way, and not as the agony, and the death, and the screams, _spirits those screams, just make them stop-_

The panicked footsteps snapped him out of his oncoming flashbacks. Chey entered his cottage, Lin Yee not far behind him.

“Master Jeong Jeong! Fire Nation boats were spotted travelling up the river. They’re headed straight our way!” Chey gasped out.

“What do we do, Sir?” Lin Yee asked. Jeong Jeong killed the small life in his grasp as he got up.

“Evacuate the camp immediately!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Look! They’re retreating!” Aang pointed out as the smoke from the explosion began dissipating. The crowd gathered around cheered at their victory over the Fire Nation, but the happiness and relief was short lived, as the war balloon that had saved their temple started going down, taking Sokka and the Mechanist with it.

“No, Sokka! Hold on!” Katara yelled out as Aang swiftly got on his glider to save them.

“Get ready!” he faintly heard Sokka tell the Mechanist as he tied his boomerang to rope, and he quickly understood his friend’s plan when he began swinging the weapon. He circled the balloon a few times, before he felt the weight of the boomerang on his glider. With that, he sped up and flew back to the temple, Sokka and the Mechanist right behind him, holding on tightly to the rope. They all made it back safely without any more trouble.

When everything had finally settled back down, with the children calmed down and the Air Walkers back in the skies, where they truly did belong, Aang walked up to Teo.

“You know what? I’m really glad you guys all live here now,” he easily admitted. “I realized, it’s like the hermit crab,” he explained himself as he picked up one of the crustaceans. “Maybe you weren’t born here, but you found this empty shell and made it your home. And now you protect each other.”

“That means a lot, coming from you,” Teo said with a smile, and Aang happily returned it.

“Aang, you were right about air power,” Sokka spoke up then. “As long as we’ve got the skies, we’ll have the Fire Nation on the run,” he called out to everyone on the Northern Air Temple grounds, who all cheered their agreement.

As he watched the few Air Walkers above them gliding away, Aang couldn’t help but join in.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m not one to complain,” Sokka spoke, making Katara roll her eyes at him, “but can’t Appa fly _any_ higher?”

“I have an idea!” Aang snapped at her brother, clearly annoyed. “Why don’t we all get on _your_ back and _you_ could fly us to the North Pole?!”

“I’d _love_ to,” Sokka replied mockingly. “Climb on everyone, Sokka’s ready for take off,” he told them as he turned around and shook his rear end at them. When Momo actually did hop on his back, he looked back at the lemur with an unamused glare.

“Look, we’re all just a little tired and cranky because we’ve been flying for two days straight,” Katara interjected before the situation could become a full blown argument.

“And for what?” Sokka asked them both. “We can’t even find the Northern Water Tribe. There’s nothing up here,” he said into the seemingly empty icescape. 

Of course, that was when they all heard a slushing sound, and then Aang had to steer Appa out of the way as quickly as possible, lest they collide with _the giant ice spikes_ that had suddenly rose from the water. They managed to avoid the surely deadly obstacles, with Sokka and her holding on to the saddle for dear life, but they didn’t get quite as lucky with the next set. Appa lost his balance and crashed into the water when, Katara assumed, one of his many feet got caught in some of the ice. They were quickly frozen into place after that.

They didn’t have much time to be scared, however, as they saw a fleet of boats appear around them, floating towards them seemingly on their own accord and without assistance from the people who had ambushed them. But they all knew better than that. Those boats _were_ being steered by the people on them.

“They’re waterbenders! We found the Water Tribe!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Winter, spring  
Summer, and fall  
Winter, spring  
Summer, and fall  
Four seasons  
Four loves  
Four seasons  
For love”

Zuko hummed along to the tune of the poem as he leaned slightly on the railings, watching the Wani’s crew dance to their music and to Uncle Iroh’s singing, while Tui and La performed their own eternal cycle behind them. Music night was surely one of the more enjoyable parts of living on the Wani (when he wasn’t being badgered by his uncle to learn the tsungi horn, that is). Zuko would have joined in himself with his ocarina, maybe even showed off a few traditional dances, if only his judgement of the crew wasn’t still clouded with doubts and fears.

Oh, sure, spending time with the crew definitely helped, and he would say he had a much better understanding of the disgraced Fire Nation warriors (he certainly got along well with Jee by this point, what with their almost daily firebending training). But he couldn’t take any risks, he had finalized. Not now, not after everything that had gone down with Zhao. The admiral was no doubt enraged after his humiliation at Pohuai, and would go to extreme lengths to get his revenge. The image of the wanted poster, _his_ wanted poster, the one his uncle had found just a few weeks ago, hung at a colony harbor, briefly flashed in his mind. His hold on the railings tightened ever so slightly, before he forced himself to relax once again. 

Uncle Iroh had ripped the poster off, before burning the thing to a crisp. Nobody else on the Wani had seen it. _It was fine._

Overall, his current relations with the crew had become somewhat (more) tense. Zuko thought himself reasonably vigilant. Uncle Iroh called it general anxiety with a dash of mild paranoia. The crew seemed to be on his uncle’s side on the matter, anyways, if such things like Jee’s annoying mindfulness during training, or the cook’s (Hiro, he reminded himself) constant little offerings of sweets were anything to go by. These small acts of kindness always did put a faint smile on his face, he would admit, especially since the crew didn’t even know what was going on. Hopefully... 

They were, as far as he knew, ignorant. They didn’t have to pay attention, to act thoughtful towards him, and yet, they did. Their sensitivity did make him optimistic, if nothing else.

He truly did want to believe in the Wani’s crew; that they could be made to change their minds, to realize the truth, to understand the real meaning of fire. In a way, he actually did. He could see the crew’s potential for himself, now that he had gotten to know them all, and he could absolutely imagine them betraying their own nation for everyone else’s sake, under just the right circumstances, with just enough of a push. He really was hopeful of them. (Though Coza always did tease him as an idealist.) In any case, hope or no hope, he simply could not fully trust these people until they showed their true colours.

A sudden, off tune note of Jee’s lute snapped Zuko out of his musings.

He focused in on the crew and Uncle Iroh. They were all tense, his uncle the most out of all of them, and when he looked over to the Wani’s boarding ramp, he understood why. He was barely successful in hiding his gasp of sheer dread... Oh spirits, no, no, _no, NO!_ What was _he_ doing here? _Why_ was he here-?!

“Admiral Zhao,” his uncle greeted casually, swiftly hiding his horror. Zuko made sure to do the same, as he slumped back his shoulders and took on the most convincing poker face he could possibly muster in such a situation.

“General Iroh. Great hero of our nation,” the man responded with a smirk and a slight bow, obviously in mocking. Uncle Iroh stood up.

“ _Retired_ general,” he retorted as he bowed back. Zuko had to suppress his indignation and utter disgust at the performance before him. Zhao was not a man who deserved any semblance of respect, much less from his sweet and humble uncle. If only he could ever get the chance to wipe that spirits cursed smirk off his face in an actual duel.

“What may we help you with, Sir?” Jee asked as he, too, showed his undeserved but necessary respects to Zhao.

“I am sure you are all aware of the Avatar’s recent return,” Admiral Zhao began, and Zuko’s blood turned to ice. “He was heading north according to the latest reports. In fact, he has very likely already reached the Northern Water Tribe by this point. The Fire Nation needs a massive invasion force to lay siege on their city. I’m recruiting you all for this mission, and expect you all to be ready by tomorrow night, at the most.”

No! Zhao couldn’t- the Fire Nation couldn’t do this! They couldn’t seek to destroy yet another culture like this. He- he couldn’t let them get away with this! But... how was _he_ ever suppose to stop this? What could Zuko possibly do? Even without considering Druk in this whole mess, it wasn’t as if he himself was at all safe in Fire Nation company. He couldn’t even know to trust the Wani’s crew, for Agni’s sake! He couldn’t ignore just _who_ was in charge of this crime against the world, either...

As if on cue, Zhao’s eyes wandered over all the crew members, and then, very suddenly locked with his own. The briefest flash of recognition, and Zuko’s facade nearly shattered right then and there. 

“Aren’t you a little young to be a part of this crew?” Zhao questioned him. So he was playing the long game then, instead of outright accusing him. He was doing this only because he was in Uncle Iroh’s presence, Zuko could tell.

“That’s because I’m not,” he answered bluntly. His voice came out steady and convincing, as it was the truth. He really wasn’t a crew mate.

“Well then, let me guess, you’re some peasant from the colonies, trying to make a better life for yourself by taking up employment on this ship,” Zhao jeered, and Zuko had to hide his disbelief at the ridiculousness of it all, because _what_? Before the startled laugh he was forcing down could accidentally escape him, Zhao continued. “Oh, trust me, I’ve seen enough of your kind. Just as mannerless and disrespectful as the rest of them.” At least the man had a reasoning for his completely off base claims, he supposed. It all worked out in his favor anyhow, so he went along.

“Yes, I am,” he confirmed as naturally as he could manage.

“If you truly want to make it anywhere in life, I’d suggest joining one of the firebending divisions in the army,” the admiral then said, and Zuko quickly understood his motives. Zhao didn’t actually believe in his own assertions, he was just trying to get him to confess.

“Oh, well, I’m- not a bender.” His voice did waver this time. He realized, too little too late, that he had walked right into the trap.

“Is that so?” Zhao turned to ask Jee without missing a beat, and Zuko knew he had messed up _royally_. This was it, it was all over. He was done for! He had failed them all; Druk, the masters, his people... It was over. He was going to be outed, and then captured, and who knew what would happen after that-!

“Yes, Sir. He’s not.” Zuko didn’t bother trying to disguise his true feelings, as his mouth fell open in shock. Zhao himself didn’t either, his jaw locked and his eyes burning with rage, which only increased in its intensity when nobody spoke up against Jee. 

“I see,” he muttered through gritted teeth, before seemingly giving up ( _he hadn’t_ ) and addressing Uncle Iroh instead. “Fire Prince Iroh, it would be an honor to have you serve as my general for this mission.”

“Please do excuse me, but I must decline,” his uncle hurriedly shot the man down. Zhao’s eye slightly twitched. 

“Very well. Do keep in mind though, my offer still stands... if you change your mind.” After that, he turned around to walk back down to the port, the two soldiers he had brought along following in his steps.

The silence left in his wake was thick and suffocating. None of the crew dared make the first move, so everybody remained motionless for spirits know how long. Ultimately, it was Uncle Iroh who snapped them all out of their trance like states.

“I had hoped we could do this in much more favourable times,” he mumbled slightly with a shake of his head. “Would you all please head up to the control tower? We have some very important matters to discuss,” he said to the crew, and then he looked straight at him with a nod.

Zuko ran to his room to retrieve his master. This was it. It was now, or never.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jee collapsed down onto a seat while his practically fried brain did its best to catch up to the inconceivable truths he had just been given. When he unsurprisingly failed at coming back to his senses (hey, at least the rest of the crew wasn’t doing any better), he looked back to the kid, and, yep, it was still there. The Agni blessed _dragon_ was still perched on Zuko’s shoulder, all calm and casual, like _nothing _about this picture was in any way wrong or abnormal, and that was when everything hit him all at once.__

____

The dragons were still alive. 

Fire Prince Iroh was a traitor to their nation. 

_The Sun Warriors_ , they were still alive! 

Zuko was a Sun Warrior. He was the _chief’s son_ , in fact, and somehow that wasn’t even the most outrageous part of it all. Zuko was _their_ long lost _prince_...! Well, he _would_ have been, if their Fire Lord hadn’t apparently tried to _kill him as a newborn._

Everybody in the Fire Nation, and probably outside it, too, knew of Fire Lady, then only Princess, Ursa’s first pregnancy and then subsequent miscarriage. She had gone into labour on a winter night, a notoriously horrible time for such a thing, made only that much more dangerous by the lack of a moon in the sky. Nobody had been shocked by the news. It had been a period of great grief still, for both the Royal Family and the rest of their nation. So, when the now crown princess had been born a couple of years later, strong and healthy and safe, the celebrations had been magnificent and unforgettable. To think that all of it had been a lie, and such a horrendous one at that...

“Why are you telling us this?” he heard Tomoe ask, and he had to force himself to comprehend Prince Iroh’s next words.

“You are all well traveled people, you have experience with this accursed war yourselves. You must have noticed the pain and travesty our nation has caused to others. We have destroyed the balance of this world,” he explained, and Jee felt an unexpected and nauseating guilt wash over him. He remembered the smoke, the screams, all that senseless cruelty...“But, it is not hopeless. It is possible for you to change, as I have. The masters Ran and Shaw are forgiving.” That had Jee raising a brow in confusion, and, if the quiet buzz around him was any indication, the rest of the crew was just as clueless as he was. Who were-?

“Our great masters. They taught Uncle Iroh the actual meaning of firebending, and they would be willing to teach you, too,” Zuko spoke up, and then, with a roll of his eyes, added “They’re dragons.” Oh, right. Of course that was the case. Of course Fire Prince Iroh had learned from _literal dragons!_ He really should have guessed it at this point. The Sun Warriors were still alive, the prince really was Zuko’s uncle, and Jee didn’t know just how much of his life was a complete lie. After all, if Fire Lord Sozin had somehow managed to erase the existence of an entire society, and Ozai had passed off an attempted murder as a tragedy, what else had the royal family hid from them all? Just how ignorant was he, truly...?

“Now that you know,” Zuko snapped him out of his on-coming existential crisis, “what are you going to do?” His voice came off hard, yet expectant. The kid was _expectant_. Of them!

He looked around the room, and saw the same conviction and determination, shining in his crew mates’ eyes. They were all already traitors, technically speaking, what with lying to an admiral about an enemy to their nation, about a _Sun Warrior_. Now, they knew the full truth, too; about their rulers, about their cause, about their war. Betraying the Fire Nation’s trust wasn’t just something they were willing to do to protect someone close to them, not anymore. Now, it had become their moral obligation. 

When none of the other crew members made a move to declare their decided position, Jee took on the responsibility. There was a reason he had been designated as captain of this Agni forsaken ship for all these years.

“You have our full loyalty.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“What do you mean you won’t teach me?” Katara asked in indignation. “I didn’t travel across the entire world so you could tell me no!”

“No,” Pakku stated flatly.

“But there must be other female waterbenders in your tribe!” There had to be! And what did they do about that? Surely they weren’t so cruel up here in the north so as to prohibit women from waterbending!

“Here, the women learn from Yugoda to use their waterbending to heal. I’m sure she would be happy to take you as her student, despite your bad attitude.” Katara didn’t care for the master’s passive aggressiveness, because _what did he just say?_

“ _Healing?_ ” she repeated in utter bafflement instead.

“What? You don’t know about the healing abilities of waterbending?” Pakku seemed genuinely taken aback and even somewhat disturbed at her lack of knowledge. Good! He should be.

“No! Of course I don’t know. I’m the _last_ and _only_ waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe! How could I know?!” she yelled at the man. “That’s the entire reason why I came here! You have to teach me!”

“ _No._ Our tribe has customs, rules; women do not fight.” After everything that she had gone through just to get here, after every single danger that she had had to _fight_ , and with her improvised and uninformed waterbending no less, to be told this after all of that... It had Katara _fuming_.

“Well, your rules are backwards and terrible!” she exclaimed with rage as she legitimately contemplated just beating this man with a water whip, right then and there.

“Yeah, they’re not fair!” Aang joined in in support of her. “If you won’t teach Katara, then...”

“Then what?” Pakku questioned mockingly.

“Then I won’t learn from you!” her friend announced as he stormed off, and Katara realized her mistake. Oh, no...

“Well, have fun teaching yourself! I’m sure you’ll do a great job,” Pakku pointed out the obvious.

“Wait! Aang didn’t mean that!” she told the master, before running to Aang’s side to stop him. “You can’t risk your training for me. You have to learn from Master Pakku, even if he is a big jerk.” Aang considered her words, before nodding at her. She quickly left the scene so that Aang could finally, truly begin his training as the Avatar.

As she went around the city, asking stranger after stranger where Yugoda taught, she wanted to cry at the injustice of it all. She really did. But, no, she wouldn’t, she refused to. She couldn’t give up that easily! Katara was the only living person keeping her tribe tied to the sacred art of waterbending. Someway, somehow, she _had_ to learn. She was sure that Aang and her would figure something out. She had to have hope that they would...

In the mean time, though, learning about this whole “healing” thing couldn’t possibly be a bad idea. It wasn’t as if she had much of a choice, anyways.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Good luck!” Tomoe yelled out to them as he and the rest of the crew left to begin their trek to Zhao’s fleet. Zuko half-heartedly waved his own goodbye to them as his uncle turned to face him.

“Are you ready, Nephew?” He quickly answered with a nod.

While Uncle Iroh would be joining the crew’s side momentarily, Zuko was to take the small boat that had been provided to the Wani. From now on, this would be his way of sea travel, as it was a motor boat, meaning he would be able to use it efficiently even after its fuel would run out, thanks to his firebending. He would be leaving the crew, and his uncle, behind. Simply put, he could not come with them to the North Pole to help the crew with their escape from the Fire Nation military, and to the Warriors’ safe haven. It wasn’t that Zuko didn’t want to go with them (of course he did, Zhao _had_ to be stopped), but... no, he could not do it. It would be way too dangerous, for Druk especially. His hand went to cover his chest out of reflex. The golden dragon’s safety was, currently, his top most priority. He had to protect him.

Besides, winter was coming to an end, and he did very much have an adopted sister to visit.

“What do you think Zhao’s going to do...?” he wondered out loud then. It had been more than clear to everyone that the man still wanted his vengeance, which was why Uncle Iroh was staying behind at all. Someone had to be witness to the death of the poor and supposedly non-bending boy from some unnamed Fire Nation colony, after all.

“Knowing him? It won’t be anything subtle.” That had Zuko chuckling faintly despite himself. He quickly shook his amusement off, before looking at his uncle with serious and pleading eyes.

“When you get there, do whatever you can to stop Zhao. _Look out for him._ Please.”

“The Avatar, you mean?” Uncle Iroh questioned.

“Yes! Please, look out for Aang.”

“I will do everything in my power to set things right. I assure you.” Zuko gave him a pained smile as he hugged him.

“I’ll miss you,” he said as he pulled away.

“Goodbye my nephew. Stay safe.” After that, Zuko and Druk left in the motor boat, while his uncle went out “on a walk”. 

When the Wani was destroyed in a deadly explosion of fire and metal just a mere hour later, the official story became that a young servant from the colonies had done something to wrong pirates in his past. Nobody could possibly have survived such devastation, as reported back to the Northern invasion fleet by Fire Prince Iroh. He had been the only onlooker to the boy’s death.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“This fight is over,” Pakku called to the crowd that had gathered, ignoring their gasps and grimaces of horror. 

“Come back here. I’m not finished yet!” the girl yelled as she continued her useless struggling.

“Yes, you are,” he said matter-of-factly. However, as he was about to stroll away, his eyes wandered to the ice below, and he saw it. This... no, impossible. “This is my necklace...” He gently picked up the jewellery.

“No, it’s not,” the girl said in anger. No, surely not...! “It’s mine! Give it back!”

“I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life... for Kanna.” He heard Katara melt away the ice spikes trapping her, all by herself, too. She really was an incredible waterbender.

“My Gran Gran was supposed to marry you?” she asked in shock. “Well, no wonder she left.” The girl’s words pierced a wound in his heart that hadn’t ever truly healed, and yet, he couldn’t bring himself to lash out.

“I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged,” he explained instead. “I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her.” It was completely silent for a moment. Katara was the one who broke it.

“And maybe she did love you back. I don’t know, I’m not her. But you know what, it didn’t matter in the end. Gran Gran wouldn’t let your tribe’s stupid customs run her life, no matter what. That’s why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage.” Pakku let Katara’s words sink in. Then, he turned around, and bowed to her.

“Please forgive my foolishness, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. It would be my honor to teach you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Aang had been happily rolling around in the snow during their break from their waterbending lessons, when he had heard Momo’s chokes. He had looked over at the lemur in concern, only to notice the black substance raining down from the sky.

“Hey, what is this?” he asked Katara as he looked over in her direction. He quickly realized then that she was hyperventilating, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her eyes wide with fear. He was by her side in seconds, while still making sure he was giving her enough space. Master Pakku was there, too. “Katara, what’s wrong?”

“Katara,” Pakku called out, his voice much more composed than Aang’s, “it’s okay. Take deep breaths, and try to calm down,” he instructed her.

“Calm down?!” Katara screamed. “Do you even know what this is? Do you know what this means-!”

“Yes,” Pakku stated firmly. “I do. It’s black snow; soot. The Fire Nation is coming.” Aang himself froze at that. Oh spirits, no, no, _no!_ They were coming because of him, weren’t they? This was all his fault-! “Katara,” Pakku’s voice broke through Aang’s own panic, “listen to me, it’s going to be okay. We will survive this, okay? Now, breathe.” Katara did as Pakku told her, and, discreetly, so did Aang. When she managed to reign in her emotions once again, she nodded at them.

“Okay, I’m better. I’m fine!” she reassured them both. 

“To the town hall, then!” their master ordered. “Quickly!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh.” Iroh himself had to hold back his offense at the use of his old title. “Just think, centuries from now, people will study the great Admiral Zhao, who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization.” _‘As if that is something to be proud of!’_ Iroh screamed in his mind. “You’re lucky you’re here to see it.” He really, really wasn’t.

“Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects.”

“I suppose you speak from experience,” he spoke from more experience than Zhao could ever wish to possess, “but rest assured. This will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba Sing Se.”

“I hope not, for your sake.” He was lying. He _knew_ that this would be one of the worst military failures in Fire Nation history; a complete waste of both resources and human life. There was nothing to hope for.

“Tell the captains to prepare for first strike,” Zhao blessedly dismissed him then, and he swiftly left the room.

As he walked around the halls of the ship, one particular Fire Nation soldier walked with purpose towards him. They each stopped in their tracks once they were side by side.

“Have you managed to contact everyone else?” Jee removed his face covering.

“Barely, but yes, Sir,” he answered.

“And the motor boats?” 

“I can easily hijack one of this ship’s, and Jin and Yuki have given confirmation that they have access to one each as well. We have three boats in total. It will be a tight fit, surely, but we’ll manage.” Iroh let out a satisfied hum at that.

“The map and letter to the Warriors is in your hands Jee, and I trust you to safely captain your crew to your destination.” Jee gave him a stiff but determined nod of understanding. “I will convince Zhao to halt his attack at twilight. Make your escape at the dark of night, when you’ll be less likely to get noticed. Good luck.” 

“You too, your highness.”

Jee put his mask back on, and both lieutenant and general continued on their separate ways.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“I can’t do it... I can’t do it,” he gasped out as he practically threw himself down to the ground.

“But, you have to,” Yue pleaded with him. “You’re the Avatar.”

“I’m just one kid,” he responded, just as desperately as her. He knew it was pointless. Yue was right. He _was_ the Avatar, and he was failing... Katara kneeled next to him to provide him with some much needed comfort, and he squeezed his friend’s hand in gratitude.

He didn’t know how much time he spent like that, just sulking in the snow, but when he finally stood up, the moon was up in the heavens, shining down on them proudly. Yue was standing by a balcony, watching the night sky, and Aang decided then to join her side. Katara soon followed.

“The legends say the moon was the first waterbender,” the princess suddenly spoke. “Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves.”

“I’ve always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night,” Katara said, and Aang realized how truly right she was. Even as an airbending Avatar, he could still feel the moon’s power for himself.

“Our strength comes from the spirit of the moon,” Yue continued. “Our life comes from the spirit of the ocean. They work together to keep balance.” Wait-!

“The spirits!” he suddenly exclaimed, startling Momo in his excitement, which he hurriedly made up for with pets. “Maybe I can find them and get their help!” It made sense! Roku’s dragon Fang had helped him before, why couldn’t the moon and the ocean?

“How can you do that?” Yue asked.

“The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the spirit world!” Katara answered for him. “Aang can talk to them!”

“Maybe they’ll give you wisdom to win this battle!” the princess told him in renewed hope.

“Or maybe they’ll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!” Aang added in enthusiasm, but then he straightened when both girls deadpanned. “Or wisdom. That’s good, too.”

“The only problem is, last time you got to the spirit world by accident. How are you going to get there this time?” Katara smartly questioned, leaving Aang stumped.

“I have an idea,” Yue said with confidence. “Follow me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jee quietly snuck through the halls of the ship and down to where the motor boats were kept. His heart felt as if it was trying to break through his ribs, and he could hear the fast and rhythmic beats of his own pulse. If he was caught doing this, it would be over, both for him and the rest of his crew. He had already had to disguise his true identity when he had joined the fleet, as not only had his defense of Zuko put suspicion on him, but he hadn’t even been assigned to this particular ship. He needed the proper information from Prince Iroh, though, and so, he had done what had been required of him. He _could not_ be discovered, no matter what...

So, when he was finally successful in lowering a boat and starting it up, he let out the most satisfying breath of his life. He had done it. He had escaped. Now, all he had to do was hope everyone else had been as fortunate as him. 

He steered his boat to one of the ships to the left of the very first row, and simply crossed his fingers. He couldn’t help but break into smile when he saw Tomoe, with a sturdy piece of rope dangling down at his feet. He helped the elder man get on the boat, before going off to retrieve the next person.

It went off without a hitch, all of it. Every single person he had been assigned managed to sneak off, and when they made it to the designated location, far away from the fleet, Jin’s and Yuki’s boats were already there. Jee barely kept down a cheer of joy.

They took a headcount in order to solidify their victory, and when it came up full, with not a single crew member missing, he really did let out that cheer. They all did, actually.

Jee swiftly took authority after that, and they collectively began their journey to the land of the Sun Warriors.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is he okay?” Yue asked Katara, her voice tainted with panic and worry despite her best efforts.

“He’s crossing into the spirit world,” Katara explained with a calmness she really could admire. “He’ll be fine as long as we don’t move his body. That’s his way back to the physical world.”

“Maybe we should get some help,” Yue reasoned, not completely sated.

“No, he’s my friend. I’m perfectly capable of protecting him,” Katara assured her with a sweet smile, and, after awhile, Yue returned it as her muscles lost the tension to them.

“Okay. I trust you.” Katara sat down on the grass to watch the sacred pond, and the Avatar’s lemur settled itself down on her lap. Yue joined her side as the other girl absentmindedly pet the animal. “You know, Katara,” she tried to start as she shifted in discomfort, unsure how exactly to phrase this, “you’re a really inspiring person. You’re a really inspiring _girl_. What you did when you challenged Master Pakku, and all the things you said to him... it was so brave of you. Thank you.” Katara was understandably caught by surprise at her words, but then she ended up grinning at her.

“I just did what I knew to be the right thing,” she said modestly with a shrug. “Someone _really_ needed to teach Pakku a lesson!” she added with a laugh, and Yue shocked herself when she joined along. She couldn’t find it in herself to feel ashamed.

“I agree.” 

A ray of light caught her eyes then, and when she looked up to the skies, she watched as the moon left to make way for the sun. The deafening sounds of war and destruction followed soon after. “You have experienced a raid before, at the South, haven’t you?” She regretted those words as soon as they left her mouth.

“It’s- not a day I like thinking about...” Katara replied with a choke.

“Oh, no, I’m so sorry! I didn’t-!” A hand suddenly grabbed a hold of her own.

“It’s okay,” she interrupted her. “I’m okay. Yue, listen, no matter what happens, know that the Fire Nation is losing this battle. I won’t let them do to you what they did to us, and neither will Aang. Your people will be safe. I promise you.” She could do nothing in response but wetly nod, and tighten her grasp on Katara’s hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“It’s been a long time since I’ve added a child’s face to my collection,” the centipede spirit mocked him, clearly trying to get any form of reaction out of him. “So... how may I help you?” he asked as he crawled around him, while the blank stare of an owl drilled into him from behind.

“I need to find the moon and the ocean,” Aang stated, ever as flat and emotionless as he had to be while in Koh’s lair.

“Their spirit names our Tui and La, push and pull,” he informed willingly, despite wanting to steal his face, despite having a direct feud with a past life of his, despite everything... Aang was yet again reminded that spirits, they were _weird_. “And that has been the nature of their relationship for all time,” Koh continued.

“Please,” he pleaded with the spirit, still without revealing anything. “Help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don’t get their help.” Everyone had already lost so much to the Fire Nation. Katara and Sokka had lost so much; Zuko, he assumed at least, had lost so much; Aang himself had lost so much. The world had lost too much. They couldn’t afford to lose anymore. He _had_ to find these spirits. He needed their help, they all did.

“Oh, you think you need their help,” Koh casually repeated what he had _just_ told him. “Actually it’s quite the other way around.” Before Aang could question for himself what that could possibly mean, the spirit, now wearing the identity of a blue demon, bolted towards him. “ _Someone is going to kill them!_ ” He stood mere centimetres from Aang’s own face, and he had to give it his all to stay composed. 

“What do you mean?” he said as he caged away his very real panic. “How can I find them and protect them?” Koh flipped back to his white face.

“You’ve already met them, actually.” He graciously moved away from Aang, and turned around once again. “Tui and La, your moon and ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other, push and pull, life and death, good and evil, yin and yang...” Aang’s eyes widened when he remembered how he had even gotten in to the spirit world. Yin and yang. An eternal dance!

“The koi fish,” he yelled out in excitement. Koh himself swiftly turned around and towards his face in his own anticipation, as he yet again took on the stolen personhood of the blue demon. Aang once more hid himself behind his mask. “I must be going now.”

“We’ll meet again,” Koh dismissed him as his "face" swapped to that of a middle-aged man. He walked out of the lair as fast as humanly possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko settled himself down on the hard floor as the smell of cooking meat permeated the air. The cave he had taken up residence in looked just over the small lagoon where he had hidden his boat. The thing was very much Fire Nation after all, or in other words, it was _suspicious_ , no matter how well he could pass himself off as Earth Kingdom. It would be a good idea to make a habit of camouflaging it, even now, when he was so far away from any form of human civilization. His current situation reminded him of his very first days on Earth Kingdom soil.

Spirits, he really did miss Toph, and he was certain Druk had, too. He estimated they would make it to Gaoling in about two weeks or so. He couldn’t wait to see what new texts she had ended up writing in his absence, as it turned out she had quite a knack for writing and a love of reading once she, well, actually _could_. Personally, Zuko himself always enjoyed her stories, purely because of how creative and, frankly, chaotic the premises usually were. And her smile whenever he would compliment her skills and, just, talk with her about her writing...! He really did wish he could be with her already. (If only he didn’t need such trivial things like sleep and food.)

Until then, though, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to continue Druk’s lessons, for it had been nearly impossible to get anything done during their stay on the Wani. 

“Come on, buddy,” he called out to the dragon, waking him up from his light sleep, “let’s get in a little training before breakfast.” The little master took flight then, and, soon enough, they had both gotten into the routine that they used to be so familiar with, before the winter solstice. It felt so freeing, to be able to bend alongside his master once again without having the constant worry of betrayal at the back of his mind. Now that Zhao was seemingly out of the picture, he really was hopeful that things would finally be back to normal. But then, while his pupil had been performing Coatepantli, a normally extremely dangerous kata, made completely harmless by his colourful flames, something _terrifying_ happened.

Zuko’s eyes widened in disbelief and horror as the roaring flames shot their way towards him. He barely had the time to safely disperse the lethal wall of orange fire Druk had sent his way. The dragon hurried to his side with a whine of fear, and wrapped around his chest, both in apology and for solace. He slowly lit a small flame with a shaking hand. It was not dragon’s fire. 

He instinctively turned his head to the cave’s entrance, and ran outside in a panic when he saw the sky, completely darkened. He understood exactly what was wrong when he spotted Tui in the sky. She should have been nothing but a faint phantom under her brother’s light. Instead, she was a deep, horrible blood red.

_What had Zhao done?!_

~~~~~~~~~~~

Sokka ran in front of Katara as the man-made total lunar eclipse took her bending, her one true weapon, away from her. He brandished his boomerang in order to deter the Fire Nation soldiers, and then pulled his sister along next to Yue, where he could better protect the both of them.

Even with Aang’s warning and knowledge that Zhao planned to kill the moon and ocean spirits, they still hadn’t managed to get help in time. The sanctuary had been swiftly invaded. They had given it their all then, to stop the coming onslaught, not realizing that the soldiers were meant to be nothing but a distraction. Zhao had slipped passed them all, and now, the great spirit of the moon, Sokka assumed, trapped as it was in its physical form, was in terrible danger. They had failed it...

“Zhao, don’t!” Aang yelled when the man lifted his hand in threat.

“It’s my destiny, to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe.” Oh, he could not be serious with this! Did he even hear himself just then? Who could possibly say something like that without ever thinking _‘Hey, maybe I’m the bad guy here.’_?!

“Destroying the moon won’t hurt just the Water Tribe,” Aang tried to reason with the genocidal monster. “It will hurt everyone, including you.” How pathetic was it that they even had to point this out to the savage in the first place? “Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of damage that would cause to the entire world.”

“He is right Zhao,” a voice that Sokka didn’t recognize spoke up suddenly, and when he chanced a glance, he gaped at the fat, clearly _Fire Nation_ man standing off to the side. Zhao’s next words only shocked him even more.

“Fire Prince Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?” Wait, wait, wait, hold on! The actual _Fire Prince_ was a traitor?! Sokka... honestly had no idea what to make of this information.

“I’m no traitor, Zhao!” the man declared as he removed his hood. “The Fire Nation needs the moon as much as everyone else; we all depend on the balance.” When the admiral didn’t budge, the prince took on a fighting stance. “Whatever you do to that spirit I’ll unleash on you ten-fold. Let her go, now!” 

The strict and threatening order from his _literal prince_ seemed to have gotten through to the man, as his face softened and his head dropped down. He crouched to the ground to release the black koi back to the pond, where it immediately resumed its cycle with its previously frantic partner. Colour returned to the world, and Sokka felt himself relax. They had done it! It was over-

They all got only a few seconds to acknowledge the whooshing of the flames, before everything turned gray.

~~~~~~~~~~~

She was gone.

Tui was gone, dead, _burned_. The traitor who could dare call himself one of his children had burned his sister alive. He had killed her, and as his rage simmered underneath him, Agni craved the mortal’s blood for it. _No._

No, that would not be enough! Simple death would be far too merciful. This traitor deserved a true punishment! No, he wanted the mortal’s _soul_ for what he had done against the spirits; against Tui, against himself, against La... Ah, yes, La. 

He had always been a lesser spirit compared to his sister, as well as Agni himself, and he always would be. Tui was, _had been_ , he reminded himself in fury, La’s higher authority, and whenever he wished to affect the mortal world, he always required her permission, first and foremost. _She couldn’t give that permission anymore._ So, La had come to Agni instead. He had come to him, with a request for revenge. 

And Agni was more than willing to allow La... on one condition. _Bring him the mortal._

~~~~~~~~~~~

“It’s too late, it’s dead,” Katara solemnly confirmed as the man, _Fire Prince Iroh_ , took the black fish out of the sacred waters.

“You have been touched by the moon spirit,” he gasped out in shock when he noticed her. “Some of her life is in you.” She realized then, that that was the answer, wasn’t it? She was supposed to be dead. She was a mortal who had been cursed from birth. This life didn’t belong to her; it never had.

“Yes, you’re right. She gave me life, maybe I can give it back.” 

“No!” Sokka, brave, funny, sweet Sokka, exclaimed as he stopped her from reaching the moon spirit’s side. She couldn’t help but hold on to the hand holding her back. “You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s my duty, Sokka.” _This was her duty_ , to her people, to the spirits, to the world...

“I won’t let you! Your father told me to protect you.” She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. They weren’t from fear.

“I have to do this.” She had to. For her people. She steeled herself, before she forced her hand to slip from his own. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

She was back. 

Tui was back in her skies, and Agni’s tortuous rays had calmed down with her. Whatever was happening at the Northern Water Tribe, balance had evidently been restored. Druk roared out a spark of flames in apparent celebration. They weren’t only orange, and they didn’t burn.

When his own fire proved to have returned as well, Zuko let out a great breath of relief, and then a sob. It was okay. It was over.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Chief Arnook,” Sokka began in guilt as he joined the man in watching the moon, in watching _her_. “I’m so, so sorry I couldn’t protect her-!”

“No,” Arnook cut him off. “Don’t be. I knew this would happen.” The man paused for a minute, before explaining himself. “The spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born. I saw a beautiful, brave, young woman become the moon spirit. I knew this day would come,” he finished with a sigh.

“You must be proud,” Sokka theorized on the man’s behalf.

“So proud... and sad.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

She bowed to her father in respect as the fires of the throne room crackled in front of her.

“The siege of the North was a failure, and your uncle Iroh has proven himself a traitor,” he explained to her in a drawl. “I have a task for you.” Azula merely smirked up at him in excitement. Now this was sure to be _very_ interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, when I said "updates will be much slower" I, uh- *meant* it. I don't wanna go into any detail on what has been going on in my life, as I find that very personal information, but I will say that life has been... straight up hellish these past few weeks. So, yeah, I'm not doing very well :')
> 
> But anyways, with that out of the way, musical instruments that we categorize as "ocarinas" today are very important in Aztec, Maya and general Central American cultures. Usually made of clay, old Mesoamerican ocarinas tended to be symbolically and decoratively crafted, in zoomorphic, anthropomorphic and even anthropo-zoomorphic shapes. The most common of these instruments was the huilacapitzli, a 4-holed bird shaped instrument roughly measuring 4-7 cms (1,5-3 inches). Note that Zuko's ocarina is *not* meant to be a huilacapitzli, I just wanted to share this information with ya'll. As for what these instruments were originally called in Nahuatl, I unfortunately couldn't find a definitive answer.
> 
> Some of you might be thinking that I mixed up Tui and La's physical forms, but rest assured that making Tui the black koi instead of the white one was very much deliberate on my part. The black half of Yin and Yang (Yin) represents femininity, the night and the moon (along with many other concepts, same for Yang), while the white half (Yang) represents masculinity, the day and the sun (which makes it a really interesting choice on the creators' part to make La, and not Agni, represent Yang in the show). This has always kind of bothered me in canon, so that's why I changed it.
> 
> "Coatepantli", according to the Nahuatl Dictionary (which is an actual site you can go visit, FYI), means "serpent-wall, snake-wall, a ceremonial wall decorated with snakes". Considering the original kata I made up has the bender shooting off a wall of fire, and the serpentine features of dragons in both many Asian cultures and in canon, I thought it was a pretty fitting name.
> 
> On another note, besides the update to the main story, I also made fanart of Iroh (NOW REDRAWN!!) based on the comments left by Keyanna on my "Bitter Bean Water and Hot Leaf Juice" oneshot. Both of those can be found from the Dancing Dragon series.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Quetzalcóatl](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25703662) by [RavenoftheNight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenoftheNight/pseuds/RavenoftheNight)




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